Jose Lorenzo T.

Roman November 24, 2015

2011-40743 Catch Me If You Can reflection paper

UNDERLYING CONCEPTS
1. Incapacity to contract
a. Since Abagnale was a minor the entirety of the film, although he could issue
legitimate checks, he shouldnt have been liable to any of them. Incapacity, being
a real defense, is effective against all subsequent holders. Abagnale, though,
wasnt considered a minor during his court trials due to the severity of his
violations which amounted to more than $ 4 million stolen on account of
fraudulent checks.

2. Forgery
a. Abagnale started to fabricate PANAM payroll checks for up to $300. He did this by
getting the PANAM stickers out of toy planes and then forging the drawers
signature. He then cashed them in at hotels, banks, and airports.

b. Abagnale was cashing PANAM checks on different parts of Europe by printing real
checks in Montrichard, France. Banks didnt know the difference between the
checks he printed and the real checks.

c. When Hanratty visited Abagnale in prison, he showed Abagnale a fraudulent check

which the suspect drew on Red Lake Savings and Loan. Abagnale hypothesized
that a teller in the bank was responsible because of the worn out numbers due to
the usage of worn out hand stamps.

d. Hanrattys boss showed Abagnale a check that he immediately determines to be

fake due to the weight and lack of perforations and then by the ink used.
Handrattys boss then offered Abagnale a job working for the FBI.

3. Fraud (Estafa)
a. Abagnale altered his name to Frank Taylor and date of birth in his drivers license.
He then tried to cash in fake checks as his alias, Frank Taylor, with different banks
in New York.

b. Abagnale kept on changing identities to get jobs and to cash-in checks throughout
the duration of the film.

4. Material alteration as to Amount and Payee

a. In the last scene, Abagnale and Handatty examined a check together and
determined it to be a real check whose original amount was altered but the
signature of the drawer was genuine. Abagnale then formed the hypothesis that
the suspect had been stealing checks out of mailboxes and changing the payees
name to his name.
5. Insufficient funds (bouncing checks)
a. When Abagnale ran away, he initially lived in a place and he paid rent by issuing
checks. His landlord kicked him out after 2 of his checks bounced.

6. Clearing of checks
a. Hanratty coined a term called Float - Abagnale opened checking accounts with
various banks and changed the MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) routing
numbers at the bottom of the checks. MICR scanners read these numbers at the
bottom of these checks and banks then ship these checks to different areas where
the banks are located. Changing the routing numbers would send the checks to
the wrong Federal Reserve branches. The banks would just keep rerouting the
checks. The banks wouldnt know the checks have bounced until after 2 weeks.

b. Abagnale was cashing PANAM checks on different parts of Europe by printing real
checks in Montrichard, France. The banks didnt find out about Abagnales
activities sooner because the checks had to be cleared in the United States.

7. Indorsing of checks
a. Abagnale paid for sexual favours with a prostitute and then indorsed to her a
Cashiers check (New York Savings and Loan) worth $1,400.

8. Kinds of checks (Cashiers check)

a. Abagnale paid for sex with a prostitute and then indorsed to her a Cashiers check
(New York Savings and Loan) worth $1,400. Abagnale claimed it is as good as gold
because a cashiers check is a check written by the bank drawn on the bank itself,
signifying that it will certainly be paid.

9. When title defective Illegal consideration

a. The prostitutes title to the fake cashiers check indorsed by Abagnale to her was
defective due to her obtaining it for an illegal consideration i.e. for sex.

10. Presentment for payment

a. When Abagnale initially ran away, he started forging checks under his alias, Frank
Taylor. Since he was forging checks, presentment for acceptance was not
necessary because checks are payable for demand. The checks were then
subsequently dishonoured by the banks.

11. Negotiable Instruments as a substitute for money

a. Throughout the movie, Abagnale used checks to pay for his expenses like hotel
rooms, clothes, and other different items. This is so because checks were meant
to better facilitate economic transactions so people wouldnt have to bring cash
with them all the time.