It may seem as though check-writing is becoming a lost art, but it remains a popular way to send money. A recent study from Abrigo, which makes fraud-prevention software, found that 61% of Americans still write checks.
If you’re among them, there are a few simple precautions you can take to avoid fraud and theft.
Check washing and ID theft
Check washing scams involve changing the payee names or the dollar amounts on checks and fraudulently depositing them. Criminals may also steal checks from mailboxes and use chemicals to remove — or "wash" off — the ink before rewriting it to themselves.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
To avoid falling victim, make sure to fill out all the required fields on a check. If possible, use indelible ink or a gel pen; gel ink is more difficult for criminals to “wash” off than ink from a ballpoint pen.
If a blank space appears to the right of the dollar amount you’ve written, draw a line through the space to help prevent crooks from altering or adding to the amount. Roxann Cooke, senior director of consumer banking at Chase, recommends that you never make a check payable to “cash,” which could allow anyone to deposit it. Instead, write the intended recipient’s name.
Also, avoid sharing too much of your personal information on a check. Don’t include your driver’s license number, Social Security number or anything else that a thief could use to steal your identity.
Mailing checks safely
If you’re sending a check through the mail, put it in a security envelope, which has a crosshatch pattern on the interior to mask the envelope’s contents. Or, if you use a standard envelope, wrap the check in a piece of paper before you place it inside.
Cooke suggests taking your check to a post office to mail it rather than putting it in your home mailbox, where a thief may be able to intercept it more easily. For extra protection — say, for a large payment — you can send the check by certified mail, which requires the recipient to provide a signature upon delivery.
Finally, always follow up with payees to make sure they've received your check.
Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.
Related content
-
This Is How Much You'll Have to Pay to Share Streaming ServicesIt now costs more to share streaming services with family members who don't live with the account holder. Here's what Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and Disney+ charge.
-
Credit Cards That Actually Reward Your LoyaltyIf you have bank or investment accounts with your credit card issuer, you may qualify for extra cash back, waived fees and other benefits.
-
I Wrote About Credit Cards for Years: Here's My Credit Card Rewards StrategyThis is how I maximize cash back and points for various purchases and leverage premium card benefits such as airport lounge access and annual fee waivers for active-duty military members.
-
Don't Make These 'Buy Now, Pay Later' MistakesDon't Make These 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Mistakes
-
Eight Tricks to Shop for Glasses if You're Over 50Shopping for glasses often gets trickier — and more expensive — as you age. If you've over 50, take these steps when you set out to buy a new pair.
-
Seven Things You Should Do Before 2026 Because of One Big Beautiful Bill ChangesThe new law ushers in significant changes for most taxpayers. Make these moves now to take advantage of them.
-
How to Master 'The Art of Spending Money'Delve into Morgan Housel's new book for an understanding of the psychology that drives what we buy — and why that can lead to smarter money decisions.
-
FAFSA Advice for 2025A new federal financial aid application drops on October 1 — and being an early bird will likely pay off.
