Want to avoid cheque bounces? Know Everything About Cheque Bounce

Has a bounced cheque prevented you from conducting business? Or has it hampered your credibility?

Why does a cheque bounce?

To begin with, let’s see what a cheque means. We will later elaborate on what cheque bounce means.

A cheque is a negotiable instrument used by banking institutions to transfer money in a physical form or to execute inter-account transfers in a stable and secure environment. It is one of the safest ways of operating the financial transactions of business since an entry against every cheque is recorded by the bank which can be used to track when necessary.

Now since we know what a cheque is, let’s find out what is cheque bounce.

A cheque bounce is usually a term used to describe the unsuccessful processing of a dispensed cheque due to several reasons. Among cheque bounce reasons, one of the main reasons why a cheque bounces is insufficient funds in the issuer’s bank account. When there are inadequate or no funds in the account, the cheque that has been issued is returned. It is termed as bounced cheque .

What if a cheque bounces?

Cheque bounce in India can be considered illegal and a criminal offence. The issuer may be liable to pay penalties. In some cases, legal action taken may be (by the bank) towards the issuer.

So now you know the answer to ‘what if your cheque bounces?’

Let’s take a look at Reasons for a cheque bounce in India.

Although, there are several cheque bounce reasons to be considered such as incorrect date mentioned on the cheque, signature mismatch, mismatch of the amount and figures, damaged cheque, overwriting of the cheque, etc. The principal reason for a cheque bounce is insufficient funds.

First, if your account lacks appropriate funds from which the cheque has been issued, there are high chances that the cheque will bounce.

In the second case of cheque bounce, you receive a cheque from an account which has minimal to no funds. When this happens, the bank will not process the cheque.

Both these are scenarios of a bounced cheque. Nominal penalty to both parties will apply in either of the above situations. Thus, one must maintain sufficient funds in the account to prevent a cheque bounce.

A bounced cheque fee varies from bank to bank, and various penalties plus service tax and cess are charged over and above the fines.

Let’s take for example HDFC Bank, for every cheque bounce, HDFC Bank levies a fine of Rs. 550 plus Service Tax.

To avoid these fines, you can set a future date on the cheque and ensure that there are adequate funds in the account to prevent a cheque bounce.

However, another option would be to carry out your transaction via online payments or NetBanking. Online funds transfers save a lot in terms of penalties and fines, and they’re also convenient. You can set up an automatic payment facility and no follows would be required. Additionally, online payments can be carried out 24*7 which saves you time as well as paper; all your transactions are available at a click of a button when you log into your NetBanking account.

HDFC Bank offers a seamless NetBanking facility. Everything is made easy for the customer through this Digital Banking platform.

Log into your HDFC Bank NetBanking Account now!

Want to know more about the perks of NetBanking like how to check my bank account balance online? Click to know more!

* The information provided in this article is generic in nature and for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for specific advice in your own circumstances.