Why does square decline legitimate checks

[Ceo4jnfg]

So I have tried to deposit 2 checks into my new square account and both have been declined. Reason says that a problem with the check has been detected. One of the checks is a government check from the state of Illinois. It is Ludacris. What kind of problem could this government check possibly have? 

[MayaP]

Hello @Ceo4jnfg - Thanks for reaching out. I know this isn’t convenient, and I want to help. 

To clarify, is the other check a government check or a standard one? Do you know the exact error message you got? If you have a photo, that would be helpful. 

[MuhHealth]

Maybe you can help me, since the OP has not replied. Square Banking declined a check from Square Banking that was given to me by a tenant that also uses Square. She's been paying with Square checks for a year without a problem. Then, for no reason whatsoever, Square decides to decline her Square checks. I finally got Square to accept their own check after escalating it to the max. The transaction is simply marked "Declined," with no error or explanations.

Now, a check from another long-time client that's been paying by check for over a year has had her check declined. I tried taking a photo with better light. I tried flipping the back of the check around to the text was not upside down. It still gets declined. Now, I'm waiting to hear back from your customer service so I can escalate, because I know they will give me a canned response to ask my client for another check or another form of payment. No, I will not do that. Her check is good. What's going on???

[MayaP]

I understand how frustrating and not ideal it is to be unable to accept checks from a long-time customer. I’ve reached out to the team to see if I can get more insight into what’s happening, and I’ll keep you updated as soon as I learn more.

@MuhHealth 

[MuhHealth]

I called your "banking" department, that's based in Guatemala of all places - with someone named Angel that can hardly speak English. He was no help, of course. He just read me the email from Square that I directed him to read to understand the situation. Basically, the email says the check is not addressed to me, even though it clearly is. The confusion could stem from the word 'health' where the 'l' was crossed inadvertently when my client crossed her 't.'

I saw my client today and asked her for a new check. She asked if she could just cross out and re-write my business name. See, I know my clients. I knew this would be a headache for her. So, that's what she did. I re-submitted. Square better accept my check this time.

[MuhHealth]

This is wild!!! First, I asked to be called at 10:00 AM HST, but Meredith calls me at 9:30. I immediately call Square, but get the same script readers from Guatemala, over and over and over. So, I write Meredith an email. She says my business name is not the business name that I've used for over five years to deposit checks with Square!!! WHAT is going on at Square??? I am not going back to my client to ask them to write me a check in the name of another business name after all these years. I don't think I can even deposit this check anywhere else, because I've already written Square on the back.

[MayaP]

Our team has confirmed that the check was issued to Muh LLC, but that isn’t the name of your business in Dashboard. You can update your business name in Dashboard to match the check. Once that’s done, please let me know. Since the check has already been declined, our team will need to file a ticket to resolve this.

@MuhHealth 

[MuhHealth]

That's my "Display Business Name," not the business name I signed up as. As I told you, I've deposited checks for over 5 years using my legit business name. What changed??? It seems Square has grown to large, too bloated. Going over my previous statements, Square even used a business name that I used over 5 years ago on bank statements 4 and 5 months ago! It's a mess over there. Please let your team know, considering how much you charge, that if this does not get resolved today, I'm seriously considering changing services. GoDaddy has been offering deals that are not easy to refuse, but I have been loyal thusfar. I already have another business bank where I can deposit checks as well.