Unit helps businesses recover bad-check losses

AIKEN --- Instead of CSI, just call it WCU: the Worthless Check Unit. The group started five years ago through the South Carolina's solicitor's office, and locally in Aiken, Barnwell and Bamberg counties. It helps businesses and other victims of bad checks recover their money.

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Annette M. Drowlette/Staff

Stacey Coleman shows a drawer of almost 2,000 warrants, collected over a four-year period, charging people with writing bad checks.

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WCU officials say that although they're not seeing an increase in bad check cases, they are finding that more end in jail time.

"We will work and bend over backwards to accommodate these people and help them pay," said Stacey Coleman, the director of the WCU in the 2nd Judicial Circuit. "The one thing I'm seeing now that's different, people are desperate and they're just not able to pay. That's the tragedy of it all."

Mr. Coleman said many of those who go to jail for writing a bad check are finding themselves returning because they're released and then ordered to pay restitution. If they don't, they're arrested again.

"It can become a vicious cycle," Mr. Coleman said. "We're seeing people just needing extra time to pay."

He said that in the bad economy the number of cases that end in collection has decreased from 82 percent at one point to about 65 percent.

Mr. Coleman said the WCU is helpful because it offers businesses a free service that tracks down the writer of a bad check and notifies the person of the need of payment, freeing the victim from what can be a tedious process. The cost is charged to the check writer.

"I think it's the best thing to happen to merchants in years," said restaurant owner Bear Woodrum. He said that since being involved in the program, his bad check collection rate increase has grown from 30 percent to 95 percent.

For more information, call the WCU office at (803) 648-8637 or visit solicitorscheckunit.net/Aiken.html.

Reach Preston Sparks at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or preston.sparks@augustachronicle.com