kiting definition

This activity, which involves playing the float, is sometimes used when a company is facing an overdrawn checking account. Assume that a company has a checking account at NY Bank that is about to overdraw. To prevent the NY Bank checking account from overdrawing, the company deposits one of its checks drawn on its PA Bank. However, its PA Bank checking account does not have sufficient funds to cover the check that the company deposited in the NY Bank. To avoid its PA Bank checking account from overdrawing, the company deposits into its PA Bank checking account a check drawn on its NY Bank checking account. Of course there are not sufficient funds in the NY Bank account, so the company deposits into its NY Bank account a check drawn on its PA Bank account. This pattern will require the writing and depositing of many checks until the company gets some money or until the scheme is detected. Banks have reduced the opportunity for kiting by clearing checks more quickly and by not paying checks until deposited checks have been in an account for several days.