Your bank can tell you if the check cleared. When you deposit a check the bank will post it but if the check doesn't clear (meaning the bank the checking account is in doesn't pay the funds to your bank-can be because there isn't enough cash in the account or the writer of the check put a stop payment on the check) then your bank will subtract that amount from your account. And your bank may also be charging you a fee in the case of insufficient funds. You might be able to get the information by calling your bank and asking if the transaction has cleared. You may want to stop in the bank and talk to one of the bankers and have them explain all the variables and let you know what you need to know about transactions.

Unfortunately, there are fraudulent postal money orders too...I read about that when I use to sell on ebay.

I prefer paypal, but still take checks - and thankfully haven't had any problems to date. I figure it I lose out on a sale due to a bad check, then I will stop accepting them...and I will post a warning to all others who the bad person was!

it has become a crazy world

If I am selling something and they pay by check (here only), I usually go ahead and mail the item the day I receive payment, or the next day the PO is open. I hate to pay anything by check. I don't like knowing I have a check out there. I prefer to pay with a money order or get a cashiers check from the bank. I had a check for only a couple dollars bounce, costing me over $30!! Since then, I have rarely written a check.