You raise your mailbox flag, drop in a check, and assume it’s safely on its way—but that small habit could expose your entire bank account. Across the U.S., criminals are targeting residential mailboxes and blue collection boxes to steal checks before they’re ever delivered. What happens next is even more alarming: those stolen checks are often altered, cashed, and drained from your account before you realize anything is wrong. This growing crime is known as check washing, and it’s costing Americans millions—even billions—every year. If you still mail checks, understanding this risk could save you from a financial nightmare.
