Check Fraud - Avoid Check Washing Schemes

Handing someone a blank check does not sound like the smartest thing to do. You may, however, exactly what you're doing when you pay your bills each month. You're probably saying, "I would never send anyone a blank check. This is absurd!" It's easier than you think your mortgage payment into a blank check again. There is only one way to check to commit fraud. Criminals "washing" checks to pay for their dishonest shopping spree.

Wash-check includes a check onThat have already been written, "washing" with a chemical solvent, and rewriting of the control so that a crime can be reused. Most of the time, they will only change the name of the recipient. Then when you check your bank statement, you see that match your check on the amount and left. Think about that for a minute, $ 300 for your car payment, $ 1000 for your mortgage, $ 200 for insurance. It fits in quickly! It is only when you messages from debtors who are startingmay find that the checks you have written, have been stolen. Until then, weeks or months may have passed. They may have lost thousands of dollars. Imagine if a criminal writes the check box for even more than you wrote it!

The most common place for a crime that will wash a check that is from your mailbox. And you're likely to let him know that it arrived! The little red flag you set when you want to pick up the postman Your e-mail alerts and criminals that it may be somewhatworthwhile in your mailbox. If your bill payments in your mailbox and the way to work, can are hours before the mailman comes to pick them up. This is an ample opportunity for someone with the worst intentions to steal your outgoing mail. In the amount of time that you check your mail could easily steal a thief, and you would be thousands of dollars!

How do you protect yourself? The easiest way is to simply e-mail drop-off at the post office or aPostal mail box. Some apartment complexes have locked mail drop, where you can leave your outgoing e-mails. Basically, you want to make sure that your email is safe, so that as little opportunity as possible for someone to steal. Another way to check to avoid washing, the spring change. Your default pen is probably the easiest to wash. Felt-tip pen and rollerball pens are also quite easy to wash off. Many experiments have shown that gel pens are the most difficult to wash. NowYou can find even permanent markers to write with tips finely enough to be a check with. Finally, many controls now on chemically sensitive paper, discolored chemicals, if used, will be printed, so make sure checks are printed in this paper.

So stop, to "wash" to keep your account secure. Use ink that can not be "washed." Use checks that will react with the chemicals used to wash the checks and do not leave your checks in your mailbox at home. Take them tothe post office. These simple tips will help protect you from check washing, and the headaches it can bring.