Can a cheque be cancelled after it's cashed?

[MotherOfBeagles]

Hi, I am selling some items online and a woman has asked to pay by cheque. I'm going to make it clear that item will not be posted until cheque is cashed but my dh is worried as he has heard of people cancelling or recalling cheques after they have been debited.

Buyer doesn't understand PayPal and I've tried to talk them through it but she's gotten it wrong a few times. Any ideas if I'm opening myself up to trouble?

Don't risk it. If buyer is too stupid for PayPal , cancel transaction.

Because no one is that stupid, she's a crook.

If by 'cashed' you mean cleared, then yes.

Generally cheques can take up to ten working days to clear, but under -especially if drawn on a non-UK bank- can be dishonoured after this.

There is no good reason to pay by cheque rather than bank transfer or Payapal. It is almost certainly an attempted scam.

Thanks, that's what I thought. Balls why is it never simple? Lol

Even paypal can be a scam as they normally always side with the buyer (its the reason I stopped selling) So if i was forced to sell stuff I would only accept bank transfers (so buyers cannot claim item didnt arrive to pocket the item and get a refund)

They'll send you a cheque for too much by mistake. The bank will clear it. she'll ask you to send her back the extra. A few days later the bank will stop the cheque and look for their money back. It's a scam.

Clearing Cycle cheques are officially cleared after 6 days - this changed nearly 10 years ago, whereas previously there wasn't a cut off.

You might risk cash by post. Some older people only use cheques but tend to have cash. If it is say £20 I have sent that wrapped well up by Royal Mail without problem (for presents) in the past. Not advisable but it might break your deadlock with her and then once you have the cash you then send the item. I agree the rules on cheques changed.

What about a postal order or bankers draft? Bit of a faff getting them cashed, but safer them a cheque.

Bankers' drafts are almost the same as cash but I expect they come with quite a big fee. Postal orders - same but again I think you have to pay for them but may be worth it.

I am a bank manager and we have a cheque clearing cycle but there is a thing called certainty of fate that's when the cheque fully clearly the cycle and can take 10 days.

So basically the cheque clears into the recipients account but if canc the money can be recalled from the customers account if before certainty of fate