Don't sign Traveler's Checks with a Green Pen!

[charlesml3]

Gang,

We came across a situation this past week in Coz where one of our divers signed a bunch of Traveler's Checks with a green pen. I was just what happened to be in his log book so that's what he used.

Well, the bank refused to accept them. We tried another bank with the same result. They absolutely insisted that they be signed with black or blue.

Yes, I know it's stupid and a signature is a signature but apparently they have some rule about that. If you have a pen in your logbook that's anything other than black or blue, pitch it...

-Charles

 

[scubawife]

I've signed several in purple and the dive op never mentioned having any problems cashing them. I also cashed a couple myself at cambio's with no problem. Thanks for the heads-up. I'll make sure to take blue pens next trip just to sure.

Try cashing them at a cambio in the evening. They might not have such strict rules.

 

[charlesml3]

Yea, possibly not. All I know is the conversation we had with two different banks and they both refused them. I think we can all just play it safe and only use black...

-Charles

 

[gcawad]

Not that anyone in Cozumel would accept one, but personal checks have the same rule too.

 

[Tamas]

Why? What is wrong with green ink?

 

[scubawife]

Not that anyone in Cozumel would accept one, but personal checks have the same rule too.

In Mexico or anywhere? I don't write many checks anymore but when I do they are often not in black or blue. Guess I should watch that. Maybe I've just been lucky.

 

[ggunn]

Why? What is wrong with green ink?

It's possible that it interferes with some sort of electronic scanning equipment or something like that, but that's speculation on my part.

 

[Diver Kat]

Working at a bank, we must sign all 'official' documents in bue or black. On checks, customers do whatever color they want. But I could see the that because certain colors of ink do not copy or image well - it could cause problems, so the banks in Mexico could be much stricter than we are in the US. I do know from experience that in Coz they can be very fussy about Travelers Checks, and how they are filled out. I had a personal run in with Scuba Club Cozumel over how we made the TC's payable to them (long ugly story!) but they eventually took them for payment, and I never heard anything more. There were some big cases a few years back (not in Coz) of fraudulent TC's being passed, so I can understand them being a bit gun-shy. What might seem like a small amount to us to lose, is a huge amount in Coz.

 

[JDog]

I thought everyone knew it had to be in black or blue ink. I can't tell you why, but even 25 years ago that was the rule.

 

[driftin' by]

Darn it! I've looked for a scan of a Travelers Cheque for proof, but doesn't is say under the signature line to sign in blue or black ink? If so, I guess it's just a matter of following directions, huh?
On another note.... I also thought if you signed a personal check in anything but blue or black and someone accepted it, that you would not be responsible for debit from you account the check was written on.