Our Worthless Check Restitution program is one tool in our fight against writers of bad checks. It enables us to swiftly get restitution for the victims of bad checks. This unique program requires offenders to not only pay restitution promptly, but also mandates that they complete an educational program which is specifically designed to address the violation and prevent repeat offenses.
This service is provided at no expense to those who receive the worthless checks.
The program is not appropriate for all offenders. Florida law gives the statutory guidelines for who is eligible for diversion. We aim to aggressively prosecute serious repeat offenders and “scam artists” who use worthless checks as part of their method of committing crimes. However, for those for whom it is appropriate, the Worthless Check Restitution Program of the State Attorney’s office secures restitution more quickly than could be obtained through the court system.
Your participation in this program will help your business. By working together we will combat the problem of worthless checks by achieving the three main goals of the Worthless Check Restitution Program: One, to obtain restitution for victims of worthless checks; Two, to increase accountability of bad check writers; and Three, to do the above without increasing the administrative or financial burden on the criminal justice system or the taxpayer.
Below are instructions on how to initiate a complaint if you receive a worthless check, as well as some tips on how to avoid getting additional Worthless Checks. The format for the 15 Day Statutory Letter, as required by Florida law, is available on this site, as well as the Worthless Check Complaint Form that may be downloaded as an Adobe .pdf file. We look forward to working together to resolve this serious problem.