"Check" created from multiple overlapping checks

Question

I use Bank of America and wrote a check for rent in September this year for an amount of $2850. I turned in the check physically to the landlord and the amount was drawn from my account normally, but I later found out in my mobile banking app that another $3000 was withdrawn from my account on the same day, for an (unnumbered) "check" I never wrote. I looked at the check image and it shows something very weird:

The check image consists of my original BoA check of $2850 "overlapped" with what appears to be another tenant's Chase check of $3000.

It is a bit hard for me to explain, so I attached the image with some information taken out.

I went to the local BoA branch and they first told me to go to Chase and then told me to call the BoA fraud department. After I called the fraud department, they sent me some form to fill out and it requires me to list the "unauthorized remotely created check" by giving

• Check #
• Amount $
• Check Date
• Payable to (Payee)

Now, I'm unsure on what to put for these since the "check" in question is a result of overlapping of my check and (what appears to be) someone else's check. What should I do in this situation? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Answer 1

This is preposterous, and is another example why not to use BoA. They should have bounced this check themselves, it is clearly not an eligible instrument.

The number you circled on the image is a partial number of the account on which the Chase check drawn. It's a bill-pay check, the account is internal for bill-pay charges, and is not an account of any individual. This is probably a result of the landlord depositing multiple checks through some kind of automated scanner, and a couple stuck together. This should have been rejected at so many interim steps before even hitting your account...

You might want to consider using bill-pay as well, to prevent incidents like that. Or not using checks at all.

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To the point of your question:

I suggest the following:

Check #

I'd write "N/A, see the image - this is not a real check and has no number"

Amount $

I'd write "Charged $3000, see the image - this is not a real check and the amount cannot be propertly determined"

Check Date

I'd write "Posted on date XYZ, see the image - this is not a real check and the image has multiple dates".

Payable to (Payee)

I'd write "Unknown, see the image - this is not a real check, and payable to cannot be determined".

I suggest to also attach a statement explaining that the charge is based on a clearly fraudulent instrument and that the bank is not allowed to accept such a check for clearing.