check endorsement

Our customer brought in a check made payable to:

John Doe
C/O ABC Industries
123 Main Street
Anywhere, USA

John Doe is our customer and retired from ABC Industries. ABC Industries is not our customer. Since the check is made payable to "in care of", does ABC Industries also need to endorse the check before it can be deposited.

Thank you.

Is the address that of John Doe or ABC Industries? I'm thinking that they might not have an address for John Doe, but knew that if they sent it to ABC Industries it would get to him. I wouldn't think that the 'care of' would indicate that ABC Industries had any right to the check.

I agree with Doug. It sounds like they sent the check to ABC Industries, but the check is made out to John Doe and only John Doe.

I'll add my voice to the chorus here. The payee has not shown any intent that ABC Industries have any interest in the check. "In care of" means no more than what it says.