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1.  

   No Subject Given

   

   Ed Halley, Sep 22nd, 2003 @ 11:49am

   
   

   There are several instances where people have gotten in trouble for trying to write checks for $0.00; some banking software apparently has hissy-fits with such checks.

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2.  

   All your zero balances belong to us ...

   

   AMetamorphosis, Sep 22nd, 2003 @ 12:27pm

   
   

   American Express likes to bill me each month ... even if I have a zero balance.
   
   Poor programming on the merchants part.
   
   SHEER stupidity for the customer service person to suggest I waste my time & checks & postage sending them a check for nothing to fix their faulty system.
   
   I would have called the local media for some negative publicity for the company ... these kinds of stories always make for good reading.
   
   Amazing thing is these companies put you through hell for their ignorance and when you waste an entire day straightening them out all you get is a shrug of the shoulders ...

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3.  

   cheques for small amounts

   

   aNonMooseCowherd, Sep 22nd, 2003 @ 1:55pm

   
   

   There are several instances where people have gotten in trouble for trying to write checks for $0.00; some banking software apparently has hissy-fits with such checks.

   I wonder if he could have written a cheque for a halfpenny or a farthing.

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4.  

   No Subject Given

   

   Michael Leuchtenburg, Sep 22nd, 2003 @ 1:59pm

   
   

   This is an urban legend, and not even a new one: http://www.snopes.com/business/bank/zero.asp

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5.  

   Whoops

   

   Michael Leuchtenburg, Sep 22nd, 2003 @ 8:52pm

   
   

   To further follow up, I emailed The Inquirer, and they responded:
   
   There's a picture of a Mr Hough in the Luton On Sunday, p14, September 14th
   issue. With cheque.
   
   Paul Hales
   
   Paul Hales is the writer of the article. Oops. I can't verify this, not being anywhere near Luton, but it seems fairly legit.

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6.  

   Friend had this for poll tax

   

   Paul Silver, Sep 23rd, 2003 @ 4:26am

   
   

   A friend of mine (who, co-incidentally, used to work for NTL) did get a court summons when he didn't pay a poll tax bill for £0.00, but did manage to sort it out with phone calls rather than turning up.
   Personally, I don't mind being sent credit card statements that tell me I don't owe anything - it reminds me I've been good that month.

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7.  

   Teensy Checks

   

   Precision Blogger, Sep 23rd, 2003 @ 5:48am

   
   

   The check story might be an urban legend, but I REALLY did once get a letter thanking me for paying $0.01 due on my student loan. The letter went on to say that for tax purposes I would want to determine how much of the $0.01 was principal and how much was interest, but that unfortunately the calculation was too complex and they were unable to do it for me.
   
   The cause (of course) was a round-off error from the previous year when we paid our debt in full. Someone tried to clear the account by manufacturing a phony payment, and we got an unaticipated acknowledgment letter.
   - The Precision Blogger
   precision-blogging.blogspot.com
   

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8.  

   It happens

   

   Adam Rice, Sep 23rd, 2003 @ 8:00am

   
   

   I had a friend back in college who was dunned by the school for $0.00. He went to the bill-payment office, and asked the girl at the counter what to do. She didn't know, so he *insisted* on writing a check for $0.00. That seemed to do the trick.

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9.  

   No Subject Given

   

   Chris, Sep 23rd, 2003 @ 8:52am

   
   

   The credit card companies typically have a "zero billing" month every three months or so where they mail bills to everybody with an account - even if the account is zero. The primary purpose is to confirm that addresses are still valid.

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10.  

    Re: Urban Legend

    

    Peet McKimmie (profile), Aug 24th, 2005 @ 4:19pm

    
    

    Just because it is an urban legend doesn't preclude that instance from also being true! I had a nasty exchange with Aberdeen City Council who sent me letters threatening to take action to evict me from my house for non-payment of a £0.00 rent bill that I had previously been told by their arrears department to ignore. I queued for the best part of an hour to give them a £0.00 cheque, but they refused to accept it as, apparently, their computer system won't allow them to enter that amount. It eventually got sorted out, but only with a *lot* of grief.

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