It may seem as though check-writing is becoming a lost art, but it remains a popular way to send money. One-third of American consumers paid with a check in the previous 30 days, a 2024 survey found, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
As the Atlanta Fed points out, though, while checks are still in use, people don't necessarily like writing them: More than 90% of consumers said they'd prefer to use something besides a check, and checks ranked as the second-least-trusted payment form for security, ahead only of cash.
Despite our general dislike and distrust, there are still many reasons we have to use checks, including to pay certain service providers or to give someone a gift. With that in mind, there are a few simple precautions you can take to avoid fraud and theft when writing a check.
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.
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. You should also avoid making 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.
