I question this story actually. Checking the newspapers from that era I find several stories that were all based on the same AP wire story. Here is one (or sea

I question this story actually. Checking the newspapers from that era I find several stories that were all based on the same AP wire story. Here is one (or search news.google.com for others) http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2UlWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G-sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5323,648814&dq=patrick+combs+first+interstate+bank&hl=en http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2UlWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G... http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/04/us/fake-check-story-ending.html http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/04/us/fake-check-story-ending... A few things about this. 1) From what can find there is no attempt to verify anything with any bank. I understand that banks aren't going to want to trot out that this happened. But at the very least good reporting (this was also in the NY Times) would require verifying that it actually happened, even with a "no comment" from the bank or the attorney. 2) The type of career he decided to pursue. He wrote a book about "Make College Easier, Beat the System and Get a very cool job". 3) The fake check has a micr on the bottom for the amount. But you don't get cancelled checks with micr, the person who wrote the check does. The photo byline clearly says "Patrick Combs's fake cheque, which arrived as junk mail" 4) The micr says "95,093.55" and the check is for 95,093.35. 5) I haven't checked the routing number but there is no mention of the bank that the check was drawn on.