Worthless Check Unit

The Worthless Check Unit serves the county’s business community by collecting worthless checks which were passed illegally to area merchants and to the general public.

Why Send Your Bad Checks To The WCU?

Our Operations

Skip-Tracing

The Worthless Check Unit has the latest technology, both in law enforcement and in the private sector, to insure that we will locate your worthless check writer if they can be found. We also have the investigative support of the District Attorney’s Investigator.

Local Database of Worthless Check Writers

Worthless checks are processed, monitored and archived electronically by C-RAE, our automated check recovery software. This process insures that accounts are routinely reviewed and updated, and it insures that the District Attorney’s Office always has the most current information on individuals writing worthless checks in Morgan County.

Restitution Agreements

Worthless check writers are given an opportunity to enter into a restitution agreement with the District Attorney, so that their check cases can be resolved quickly and without the necessity of arrest and prosecution. Worthless check writers are even allowed to pay by credit card, a financing option not available in most court clerk’s offices.

Self-Funding

The unit is self-funding and receives no special funding from the State of Alabama for its operation. The unit operates from funds generated by fees assessed to the worthless check writers, preventing taxpayers from having to foot the bill for the collection process.

Bringing Your Checks To The WCU

• If you are going to accept checks, before you ever receive your first worthless check, you should contact the Worthless Check Unit and request a “bad check” kit — it will contain information that you need to know before accepting any checks.
• Review the proper procedures for accepting checks to be sure you are familiar with the verification process.
• Review the information on non-prosecutable checks, so that you do not accept checks that cannot be handled by the Worthless Check Unit.
• Deposit your checks within thirty days of receipt.
• Make sure that any check returned to you clearly shows that the check was declined for insufficient funds or was issued on a closed account.
• Use only the official statutory notice provided by the District Attorney to make demand on the debtor and review the procedures contained in the “bad check” kit for sending notice.
• Save all correspondence, documentary and photographic evidence of the transaction and bring it to the Worthless Check Unit with you.
• Use the Worthless Check Information Sheet provided to you by the District Attorney as a guide to assist you in collecting identifying information on the defendant, witness information and other details of the transaction that will be necessary for you to obtain a warrant and prosecute your case.
• Bring the bad check, the signed green return receipt documenting that you served the check writer with the appropriate notice or the unopened returned letter to the check unit with you.
• Bring all of the information that you will need to complete the Worthless Check Information Sheet.

Paying Off A Bad Check

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

1. CLICK HERE TO PAY THE WORTHLESS CHECK UNIT ONLINE.
2. CALL TOLL- FREE (877-748-6252) TO SPEAK WITH A LIVE, BILINGUAL AGENT*
   *Phone Hours: Mon-Fri, 7am-9pm I Sat & Sun, 9am-6pm EST
   Note: There is a service fee charged by a third-party company, nCourt, to cover the cost of these convenient and secure payment services.
   

We make every effort to make paying off a bad check as easy as possible.

• You should bring any letters that you have received from us stating your case numbers and bad check amounts.
• You should bring an official government issued photo I.D., preferably a driver’s license.
• You should bring financial information documenting both income and expenses, unless you intend to pay off your entire balance.
• You will be required to provide your name, address, social security number, telephone number, vehicle tag and driver’s license number.
• You may be photographed and thumb printed for identification purposes.
• We accept cash, exact amounts only, Visa or MasterCard, cashier’s checks or money orders; however, we do not, for obvious reasons, accept personal checks.
• You will be required to update any changes in your address and telephone number, employment information and financial status with each payment.
• If you have written numerous worthless checks, you should realize that some or many of them may not have reached our office at the time of your visit, but may be processed later, requiring you to come back.
• You should be aware that checks turned over to us are evidence in a criminal prosecution and will not be returned to the check writer.  A receipt will be issued by the Worthless Check Unit for any payments made.