Check Fraud

Ways To Reduce The Risk Of Check Fraud

  • Keep your account information confidential and never provide your account number or personal information to unknown persons. Don’t send checks to unsolicited phone sales.
  • Reconcile your bank statement as soon as possible after receipt to detect any irregularities.
  • Protect your checks – Store your checkbook, blank checks, deposit slips and bank statements in a secure location. 
  • Don’t leave blank space on the payee or payment amount lines on your checks, adjust your entry to fill as much space as possible.
  • Monitor check replacement orders to ensure they are received timely and immediately verify that all checks were received with the order.
  • Mail bill payments through the Post Office and not from your mail box at home. Seeing the upright red flag on your home mail box is a signal for criminals to look in the box and steal whatever is there.
  • Do not add personal information on your check (Social Security #, Driver’s License No., or Date of Birth).
  • Destroy (shred) cancelled checks, account statements and deposit tickets unless needed for tax purposes.  If kept, store in a secure and/or hidden location.
  • Use your assigned bank issued deposit slips and make sure the account number on the slip is correct. Thieves have attempted to alter deposit slips at drive-up windows in the hope that bank representatives will not notice with the result that the funds are deposited into the thief’s account.
  • Don’t ever make a check payable to cash if giving to another person. If lost or stolen, a check made payable to cash may be cashed by anyone.
  • Never endorse a check until you are ready to cash the item or make the deposit.
  • If someone pays you with a cashier’s check, be cautious and if possible, have them accompany you to the bank to cash the check. If you need to accept a check for payment, do so during normal business hours so you can verify with the financial institution that it is legitimate. Make sure you obtain identification information from the individual.
  • If your home is burglarized, determine if any checks have been stolen. Look closely because thieves will take checks from the back or middle of your check book to avoid immediate detection.
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