What might happen to a lost cheque?

A lost cheque can indeed be returned unpaid. This can happen if the cheque is found and presented for payment after it has been reported lost, or if the payer has placed a stop payment on it. Once a cheque is lost, the financial institution typically advises the account holder to issue a stop payment order to prevent unauthorized use, which means that even if the cheque is found, it will not be honored by the bank.

Additionally, if anyone finds the cheque and tries to cash or deposit it, the bank might refuse to process it if the stop payment is in effect. Therefore, the possibility of the cheque being returned unpaid is a realistic outcome.

While a lost cheque may still be honored if found, that depends on numerous factors such as whether it has been stopped, reported, or if it falls within the timeframe for honoring old cheques. However, this situation is less certain and varies with bank policies and the actions taken by the account holder. Hence, regarding the certainty of what can happen to a lost cheque, the aspect of it being returned unpaid can be considered a more concrete outcome.