Checking account siezure. WTF?

[J-Dogg]

In short,
I have 3 checking accounts. The one in question is for my investment properties. Simple bills come out of the account, all house related:
-Water bills
-Insurance
-Taxes
-Mortgages
-Utility Bills
My Ex girl (from about 6 months ago) use to help with the investment properties. Basically, make the checks out to the utility companies and balance the account after. I put her on the account so she could sign the checks and access the balances at the bank (they did not have online services then, small credit union).
Now, her name is just on the account, it’s not a joint account, nor were we ever partners or legally bound.
She must have had some debt and it went to collections apparently. They took out a chunk of money and I did not even know about it, or was notified about it.
I do the same thing to tenants, but I have to go to court, seek a money judgment, file garnishment papers to the employer or the bank to do it. It’s a process, and there is no way I am allowed to do it without notifying by certified mail or going to court to garnish.
They just took the money, no calls, no letters, no court, as far as I know, no money judgment.
It’s not a significant amount of money, but I’m bothered someone can just go take money out of my account without me knowing. Anyone have any experience in this? Or looked into this?
I’d gladly pay a lawyer double if I thought I could get the money from them.
Thanks for any input!

[daem]

This is why you NEVER EVER EVER pay a collections agency with a personal check. Many are scum sucking bottom feeders that will wipe out your accounts if you give to them.

For the future, you want to make any collections agency payment via cashiers check and mail certified mail. This way, you have a paper trail in case they claim they didn't receive anything.

You would have legal recourse if your name was on the account assuming you prove that the amount that was owed was withdrawn and then they stole more. She is the one that needs to fight the battle if your name is NOT on the account any more.

I think you also learned never to have shared accounts with ANYONE...Your ex totally put the screws to you for her own benefit and you have nothing to show.

If the account was in her name only, it is legally her money to do whatever she wanted...Why the heck would you take your name off the account if the money was yours in the first place?

[J-Dogg]

Oh, I never took my name off the account. I just added her name too it.

As far as I know and she knew, she never paid any collections, with a personal check or by any other means either. The only thing that came out of that account was house bills. She had a seperate account for her bills and I have 2 more, personal and another business account.

I know a lot of business that add a manager or accountant to the account so they can track expense, pay bills, but I don't see how adding a manager to the account makes the owner of the account and company responsible for their debt.

I have tons of people that owe me money, I have to pay a lawyer, file a ton of paper work and go to court to get any of that money. Niether of the 2 of us have been to court or recived any copies of money judgments.

If this is legal, I'll just close the account, complain to the board. I'll start burrying cash like a paranoid redneck if people can just acess my account that easy. I put money in my bank under the impression it is secure and safe.

[JiGGaMaN]

tisk tisk, never put anyone on your account. ESPECIALLY NOT YOUR GIRLFRIEND.

[firmechicano831]

true, I would only put my wife or parents. Someone I really trust.

[J-Dogg]

true, I would only put my wife or parents. Someone I really trust.

We were living together for abotu 5 years and together for close to 6. She was pretty much my wife.

I know I should have taken her off right away when we split. I just can't belive someone can go in your account and take money without notifying or going to court.

[beatango2008]

yeah I had to learn the hard way too......

[KatsMeow]

I have no idea about this one, but thanks for the info, I didn't know that people could take money out of your account.

I just went through fraud myself it was a big mess, I had people from some foreign country pulling money out of my account and somehow they were doing it as an ACH so they had my routing number and all.