| Handing someone a blank check doesn't sound like the | | | | be hours before the mail carrier comes to pick them |
| smartest thing to do. However, that may be just what | | | | up. That's an abundant opportunity for someone with |
| you're doing when you pay your bills every month. | | | | the worst intentions to steal your outgoing mail. In the |
| You're probably saying, "I would never send anyone a | | | | amount of time it takes you to check your mail, a thief |
| blank check. That's absurd!" It's easier than you think to | | | | could easily steal it and you would be out thousands of |
| turn your mortgage payment into a blank check. It's | | | | dollars! |
| just one way to commit check fraud. Criminals are | | | | So how do you protect yourself? The easiest way is |
| "washing" checks in order to fund their dishonest | | | | to simply drop your mail off at the post office or a |
| shopping sprees. | | | | postal service mail box. Some apartment complexes |
| Check washing involves taking a check that has | | | | have locked mail drops where you can leave your |
| already been written, "washing" it with a chemical | | | | outgoing mail. Basically, you want to make sure your |
| solvent and rewriting the check so that a criminal can | | | | mail is secure, leaving as little opportunity for someone |
| reuse it. Most of the time, they will only change the | | | | to steal it as possible. Another way to avoid check |
| recipient name. Then when you check your bank | | | | washing is to change the pen you use. Your standard |
| statement, you see that your check went through and | | | | ballpoint pen is probably the easiest to wash. Felt tip |
| the amount matches. Think about that for a minute; | | | | and roller-ball pens are also fairly easy to wash off. |
| $300 for your car payment, $1000 for your mortgage, | | | | Many tests have shown that gel pens are the hardest |
| $200 for insurance. It adds up quickly! It's only when | | | | to wash off. Now you can even find permanent |
| you start getting notices from debtors that you may | | | | markers with tips fine enough to write a check with. |
| discover that the checks you've written were stolen. | | | | Finally, many checks are now printed on chemically |
| By then, weeks or months may have passed. You | | | | sensitive paper that will discolor when chemicals are |
| may have lost thousands of dollars. Just imagine if a | | | | used on them, so make sure your checks are printed |
| criminal rewrites the check for even more than you | | | | on this paper. |
| wrote it for! | | | | So, help stop "washing" to keep your bank account |
| The most common place for a criminal to get a check | | | | safe. Use ink that cannot be "washed". Use checks |
| to wash is from your mailbox. And you are probably | | | | that will react with the chemicals used to wash checks |
| letting him know it's there! That little red flag you put up | | | | and don't leave your checks in your mailbox at home. |
| when you want the mail carrier to pick up your mail | | | | Take them to the post office. These simple tips will |
| also alerts criminals that there may be something | | | | help to protect you from check washing and the |
| worthwhile in your mailbox. If you put your bill | | | | headaches it can bring. |
| payments in your mailbox and leave for work, it may | | | | |