The old scam of check washing is still alive and well. Criminals get a hold of one of your checks by intercepting some of your mail, while working at a retail store or other means. They then take the check, and literally wash the ink right off of it by dipping it in acetone or another solvent and then re-write the check to themselves or an alias that they can cash it with. Chances are you won’t even know if one of your checks has been stolen and re-written until you get a notice that your mortgage or credit card payment hasn’t gotten through, so it can be very hard to get the money back from a criminal after the theft has occurred. The best way to prevent check washing is to make sure that your checks are safe and secure to begin with.
Most criminals who steal checks to wash take them directly out of people’s mailboxes when they are paying their bills. People throw their mail in their mailbox, flip up their flag so that the post office knows to pick up their mail, and go on with life. Unfortunately it also lets criminals know that there could potentially be some of your checks in your mailbox as well. Instead when you pay your bills, drop your payments off at the post office or put it into one of the Post Office’s secure mailboxes.
Whenever you write a check, you should also use a special pen which is designed to prevent check-washing. They are called “check writing” pens and can be found at just about any office supply stores. These pens have special ink which will prevent criminals from using solvents to remove your ink from the check. When someone tries to wash one of a check written from these pens, it will either not work leaving your check intact, or smear the ink and make it apparent that a check has been washed.
Individuals with business accounts are at a much greater risk when it comes to check washing. Businesses have much stricter requirements in terms of what the company must do to protect their checks. If the business doesn’t follow a strict plan to protect their checks, it’s likely that if any money is stolen from their accounts, the bank will not return their money. If you have a business account, make sure that the checks are locked securely when not in use. Make sure not to leave blank computer-printed checks in your printer either or you will be equally liable for the money that could be potentially stolen. Be sure to limit who has access to company checks so that there’s a smaller risk of having a disgruntled employee running off with your money.
Check washing is still a very real albeit low-tech means of theft. Make sure to follow these best practices with your checks to prevent money from being stolen from you via means of check washing.
