The bank placed a hold on a cashiers check that later turned out to be fraudulent. Aren cashiers checks supposed to be honored immediately?
Generally, cashier’s checks must be made available by the next business day. However, because of the number of fraudulent and counterfeit checks now being passed, banks are beginning to place an extended hold on cashier’s checks. A bank can only place a hold on the amount of the check deposited in excess of $5,000. And the first $5,000 must be made available in accordance with the bank’s normal availability schedule. However, always remember that funds may become available to you before the bank has been able to verify the check. You may end up withdrawing the funds before the bank knows that the cashier’s check is fraudulent. If the cashier’s check is fraudulent, the bank may charge the cashier’s check back against your account or obtain a refund from you. In addition, you may want to review the Account Agreement you received when you opened the account, as it explains the availability process.
