Fives ways you can avoid check fraud

Criminals are stealing checks and using chemicals to remove the ink so they can write new amounts and recipients. You will often here on the news about postal workers being robbed of their postal keys. Checks have very few security features and are easy to alter or counterfeit. Criminals can even deposit checks on their phones avoiding a trip to the bank.
There were almost 700,000 check fraud reports in 2022 which is almost double the frauds reported in 2021.
1. The simplest way to protect yourself is to limit how many checks you are writing to the absolute minimum. There are person to person payment alternatives like Zelle, Cash App, or Venmo.
2. You should regularly monitor your bank account at least once a week but preferably daily. It can take as long as seven months for a bank to investigate fraud on a customer’s account. Criminal activity happens the most on holidays when banks are closed. Check fraud is especially prevalent during tax season.
3. Use blue or black gel-ink pens and make sure to spell everything out including the dollar amount.
4. Go directly to the post office to mail your check, do not leave it in the mailbox in front of your house.
5. Seal the check in a windowless envelope.
Works Cited:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/online-retailers-tighten-return-policies-to-boost-profits-9bf6ccc2?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1
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