West Virginia Code § 46-3-404

Impostors; fictitious payees
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(a) If an impostor, by use of the mails or otherwise, induces the issuer of an instrument to
issue the instrument to the impostor, or to a person acting in concert with the impostor, by
impersonating the payee of the instrument or a person authorized to act for the payee, an
indorsement of the instrument by any person in the name of the payee is effective as the
indorsement of the payee in favor of a person who, in good faith, pays the inestrument or
takes it for value of for collection.
(b) If (i) a person whose intent determines to whom an instrument is payable (section
3-110(a) or (b)) does not intend the person identified as payee tou have any interest in the
instrument or (ii) the person identified as payee of an instrument is a fictitious person, the
following rules apply until the instrument is negotiated by sptecial indorsement:
(1) Any person in possession of the instrument is its holder.
(2) An indorsement by any person in the name of thle payee stated in the instrument is
effective as the indorsement of the payee in fasvor of a person who, in good faith, pays the
instrument or takes it for value or for collection.
(c) Under subsection (a) or (b), an indorsement is made in the name of a payee if (i) it is
made in a name substantially similar to that of the payee or (ii) the instrument, whether or
not indorsed, is deposited in a depositary bank to an account in a name substantially similar
to that of the payee.
(d) With respect to an instrument to which subsection (a) or (b) applies, if a person paying
the instrument or taking it for value or for collection fails to exercise ordinary care in paying
or taking the instrum ent and that failure substantially contributes to loss resulting from
payment of thVe instrument, the person bearing the loss may recover from the person failing
to exercise ordinary care to the extent the failure to exercise ordinary care contributed to
the loss.

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