<prompt> Human: Have a friend that is paying me for a service. I know for a fact they have bounced checks in the past, and was wondering if there was a way to make sure a check is good before depositing it to avoid the fee if it isnt. I dont want to make it awkward with this friend and insist on another form of payment, and quite honestly, it is not for a very large amount, so I rather just not cash the check at all if there isnt a way to verify it. I just know for a fact that they wont be able to pay the fee on top of the amount of money they owe me, so I rather avoid losing more money on top of what Im already owed. Any insight would be appreciated. Not sure if this is the right sub for this post.  <response>: Cash it at the issuing bank. They will know immediately if it will clear and they can check your ID to make sure its legit. 