Asked by Jordan Tongen on Apr 24, 2024

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Angry employee.Martin is in charge of payroll and other expenses for ABC,Inc.He becomes very angry with his boss Adam because Adam started dating Martin's girlfriend Stacy.Martin decided to quit but not before he got some extra money from ABC,Inc.Martin wrote five checks from the account of ABC,Inc.to pay off the five credit card companies that Martin owed money.The credit card companies took the checks without reason to be suspicious as to the source of payment.The checks to the credit card companies in total amounted to $30,000,and each check was in an amount under $10,000.Martin also made out ten checks on the account of ABC to twenty alleged employees who did not really exist.Each of these checks was in the amount of $5,000.Martin took the checks,endorsed and cashed the checks in the names of the various fake employees,and kept the cash.Finally,Martin discovers through office gossip that Adam has been looking for another job with XYZ,Inc.located in a neighboring state and that Adam is supposed to go there for an in-person interview in a few weeks.Martin sets up an interview with XYZ,Inc.pretends to be Adam,and induces XYZ,Inc.to give him,posing as Adam,a check for $5,000 as a signing bonus.Martin immediately endorses the check pretending to be Adam and pockets the cash.Finally,Martin leaves town heading for the Caribbean.Is ABC,Inc.entitled to a refund from its bank for the checks the bank paid written to fake employees?

A) Yes,because Martin forged the names of the employees.
B) Yes,because Martin posed as an imposter in regard to the employees.
C) Yes,because the bank has a cause of action against Martin and can likely get a default judgment.
D) No,because of the imposter rule.
E) No,because of the fictitious-payee rule.

Fictitious-Payee Rule

A legal principle that protects banks from liability when funds are withdrawn by a person not entitled to them, if the drawer's negligence contributed to the forgery.

Imposter Rule

A legal principle that addresses the liability for fraud when an impostor defrauds a third party.

Forged

Refers to the illegal modification or creation of a document, artwork, or object with the intent to deceive or defraud by passing it off as genuine.

  • Explore the personal and real defenses related to negotiable instruments and their consequences on the position of a holder in due course.
  • Familiarize yourself with the distinct UCC clauses related to the discharge, reduction in collateral value, and the warranties implicated in the transfer of negotiable securities.
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JD
Jonathan DelugachMay 02, 2024
Final Answer :
E
Explanation :
The Uniform Commercial Code's fictitious-payee rule governs the liability of companies and their endorsed checks: Any check made out to a fictitious payee and endorsed must be honored and is not considered a forgery.