Protect Your Checks: How to Prevent Mail Theft and Fraudulent Check Washing

Safeguard Your Check Orders with Trackable Delivery

At United Community, we help protect your check orders with our trackable delivery service. This shipping option provides peace of mind and enhances the check ordering process by offering real-time updates, for a small additional cost.

More details about trackable delivery:

• You can receive emails with updates like “out for delivery” and “delivered.”
• Our bankers can view your order status in the check ordering system.
• This service is available for 80-pack check orders.
   

Prevent Mail Theft and Protect Your Checks

The US Postal Inspection Service recovers more than $1 billion in fraudulent checks and money orders each year. If you mailed a check that was paid, but the recipient never received it, criminals may have stolen it.

To steal checks and money orders, fraudsters target paper checks sent through the mail. Once they have a check that you’ve mailed, they use chemicals to “wash” the check, allowing them to change the amount or make themselves the payee. Then, they deposit or cash your check and steal your money.
 

To help postal inspectors keep your mail safe, take the following steps:

• Get your mail promptly after delivery. Don’t leave it in your mailbox overnight.
• If you’re heading out of town, ask the post office to hold your mail until you return.
• Sign up for informed delivery at USPS.com for daily email notifications of incoming mail.
• Contact the sender if you don’t receive expected mail.
• Consider buying security envelopes to conceal the contents of your mail.
• Use the letter slots inside your post office to send mail.

If you do need to mail a check, protect it by:

• Using indelible black ink to make it harder for criminals to wash your checks.
• Avoiding blank spaces in the payee or amount lines.
• Never writing personal details like your Social Security number or credit card information on checks.
• Using mobile or online banking to access copies of your checks to ensure they’re not altered. Review your bank activity regularly for any suspicious errors.
• Reviewing the back of any paid checks for correct endorsement information to ensure they match the intended payee.
• Using e-check, ACH payments, or other electronic and mobile payment methods for added security.
• Following up with payees to confirm they’ve received your check.

If you think you’re a victim of check theft, report it immediately to:

• Your local police department
• The US Postal Inspection Service: Visit uspis.gov/report or call 1-877-876-2455.

Source: American Bankers Association