Will a bank refund money if it was stolen by a forged check?

Sometimes. If your bank account has fraud protection you can go through your banks fraud reporting procedures and seek a refund. There are limits to fraud protection claims, you will need to verify with your bank what (if any) fraud protection policies are available on your account. Additionally in some regions you may be eligible for crime victims compensation. Check with your local law enforcement to see if you are eligible for this type of compensation as well. If you are not eligible for compensation and you have no fraud protection on your account you will not be able to recover your money short to taking the person(s) who defrauded you to court, either criminal or small claims.