How to foil check washing fraud before it costs you thousands 

If a bank accepts it, they should own it. They can check funds. We can't.

What did you expect?

I write my checks with a Sharpie. Some say these checks won’t be accepted by banks but I have yet to have a check written with Sharpie ever returned.

I use a (Mark's Alot) the ink soaks into the paper does not sit on top like a ink pen.

The Bank should give you your money back WITH INTEREST!!!

B.REASON Sooooo... That would be us paying us to get our money back. Through the bank.. So we .. In essence .. Pay the bank double our money to get half of our money back ??? They keep the rest...

@@donaldreason5664 like rats chasing our tails.

"Banks won't help getting your money back" Not true.. Banks will help you get your money back. I had money stolen by a thief and reported it to the bank and they gave me my money back..

​@@whyputaname untrue. I had to write CFPB twice with BOA! They denied my fraud claims. But they worked. I never had to reach out to the news, but I will now that I see she can help people.

@@jmfia2391 I wrote to CFPB back in 2018 regarding Schwab Bank. They closed my account while I was overseas. I only found out they closed it the day I flew out of the country. I had zero in my checking account when I went to the ATM to withdraw money in Laos. Republicans want to close down CFPB because it's an agency that works to protect the American banking consumers not the banks. People in this country need to wake up and realize that the people they vote for are not looking out for their interests.

Banks = You Hold The Bag Not Us Police = Don't Care Unless You Can Prove It.

This happens a lot. The banks try to blame the customers for all sorts of fraud and leave them holding the bag. The customers then end up contacting their local TV station. The banks then refund the money because of the bad publicity. Unfortunately the local news shows don't have time for everyone's, or the whole one hour broadcast would be nothing but this stuff.

To be fair, the bank wasn't really at fault. The check was stolen from the post office drop box.

@@jimwall2291 yeah but the customers is not at fault either

@@jimwall2291 The post office is at fault but you can avoid this by mot using checks Stop using snail mail its the leasrt secure way to send money. If you cn use cedit/debit card or if you can gop in peson with cash

Sure.

Prevent defense is to make an example out of them

Ya think?

This is NY where there's NO bail or bond and a number of prisons were shut down by the dirty state government and not to say who the state is releasing from prison ‼️ This is something that the blue states are good for ‼️

​@@JohnVanSickle-mf6ri sure in NY... wishful thinking... NY government has no respect for the law bidding citizens.... I love your idea though

Oh yeah like that won't cost anything

Made out of toilet paper perhaps?

Actually, when you order checks, they do have that option, called security checks, that are very difficult to tamper without the tampering becoming very obvious and easy to see. They are slightly more expensive.

Sharpie also makes pens, that are unwashable specifically for this issue! Your check might get stolen but it won't be washed!

@@spazzman90 😅😂

Me, too. I reported the theft to police. Even had the criminal's bank account number, because he deposited the check. Bank was cooperative, but Police did nothing. NOTHING.

My cousin had same situation, but when she went to the police they didn't make any record for her with the reason she needs to get information from the theft

The cops won't help because they have to work. There is no violence or other incentive for them to get off their lazy butts.

If there isn’t money for the DA and cops to get some from investigating, they won’t care. There needs to be a threat, or money involved for the bottom feeders to get off the couch and pull up their pants.

I had a debit card hacked at a gas pump. i knew it happened and the police didnt care. My bank refunded the stolen 320$ after a few days.

Ours you can only open up about an inch or so.

99% of these are perpetrated by USPS employees

I send a cheque to my nursery today via priority mail ,it almost cost me ten dollars but I did so I didn't have to worry if they received it ,A cheque I mail on Christmas to my friend for her daughter I had to cancel costing me thirty dollars, another friend told me yesterday she mail a bill to light company and they did the same thing like what was reported here for a thousand dollars ,same bank also

Not going to happen

​@@verawallace9055 cashiers checks.

That should also be reported to the local news station in your biggest city! I wrote a few letters of complaint to the Local Post General Master for mutilated mail in my area and months later I'm still waiting for a response. I did what I could but switched our po box to a new town come renewal time.

the whole system is dysfunctional

@@celita8183 the local post office don't do much. I call the national post office number in Washington. When they get a call from Washington it's like the president of the United States calling them so they swing into action. I even told the local manager here if his post office were a private business they would be out of business. They keep losing packages or report that they were unable to deliver or leave in a safe space. I've had times where they claimed they left package with individual all untrue. Then when I called Washington they contacted the local post office and found my package by contacting the driver or the carrier.

@@samthepoet107 appreciate the tip, I'll share it w the DC office too.

I heard of a guy who had his expensive 🎸 stolen from UPS and it was insured but UPS gave him a hard time.... one of UPS employees stole the 🎸

We paid on line too until our phone was hacked. They stole $1500 from our CHECKING ACCOUNT. We closed that account and changed our phone number. Don't use your phone for any financial dealings. Period.

@@tonysimmons647 usingf credtcard is better ytou have mx liabilty of $50

@@tonysimmons647 It sounds like you were a victim of a SIM swap attack. What they do is somehow get your phone number ported out to one of their phones and then they get the 2FA messages needed to get into the accounts. The only way you would notice it is if you notice your phone is not working for phone calls or anything needing cellular data. That is because during the attack your phone is not getting service even if you live in a place with excellent service. The worst thing is that even if you do suspect something it would be impossible to call your phone service carrier. So if you suspect that it is happening get in the car and get to one of their offices as soon as safely possible. Make sure to bring ID so they can see it really is you. It might not hurt to bring money along to pay any fees or your bill once they restore _your_ service. If a thing like that ever happened to me I would not hesitate for even a second to get in my car and head down to the phone service carrier which my phone is on and get it changed back and maybe even see what if anything they can do to make it so it is less likely to happen. I would also go directly to a branch of the bank I use and let them know that the SIM swap has happened. I would also review recent account activity with them to see if anything weird is happening or even still pending. Banks have fraud divisions to help crack down on weird things like this happening to their customers.

​@@tonysimmons647 online = internet, not phone line

Mr. Souza: smartphones (iPhone et al) = internet access = online banking etc.

Or a new illegal arrival?

Because most companies don’t want to lose money they rather lose the customer not the money!

Without giving too much info, that is the best option sometimes. I work for a bank and you have to do what you have to do to get results

Because they don't profit from others misery

Just use a Uniball 207 pen. Impossible to wash.

alcohol dissolves sharpies without a trace. Doesn't matter if it seeps through the paper.

@@ae2948 Therefore the Uniball 207.

That should be reported to the US PO Inspection Service.

This is actually a very old way of stealing.

Yeah, this was happening back in the early 90’s. I had a family member that did prison time for it.

Yes they run for political office

I take pictures of my checks. I don't really use checks but when I have to do it , I always take a picture of it before mail it.

Yes, carbon copy

Certainly avoid BOA at all costs. I found out they don't process stuff in the order it comes but, wait for a batch to come in, then process from the largest down. and they don't just do this with checks but debit too. So that way they can maximize the amount of things that will bounce. I didn't have the problem of someone faking my check. but I had made a few smaller debits and then a larger check at the end. turns out i was off on my math. but had they processed stuff in order only the check at the end would of over drafted. but since they put that in first several of the smaller transactions over drafted and so they got multiple fees out of me. And I know there's no way they could of gotten the check first I didn't even write it out until after the smaller ones that where done via debit where made. so yea that was fun.

@Fred Wills Yes. That's what I'm thinking. I've always been careful watching how I spend my money. If I don't have the money for something I waited until it went on sale or I saved up money for it.

Bank of America got busted for bad mortgages back awhile ago... not sure about chase

The thieves have the key to the blue boxes. The part I can not BELIEVE is that banks ACTUALLY cash the check (for cash) without knowing the person standing in front of them. (no account there) But they do, nationwide.

Must be a republican state

Can't trust anyone but God nowadays

@Fred Wills Oh, but I have met him

"and this isn't the ghetto" uhhhhh, better check again, cause i think you livin 'in the ghetto"

Those are a special magnetic ink designed for machines used by banks in order to route checks quickly. Every bank depends on that ink.

@@catlink8998 Not really anymore. Today they use OCR technology to read the MICR information. You will notice that they no longer encode the dollar amount in the lower right corner of the check. The bank where it was deposited used to do that before sending it through the sorting machines back to the originating bank.

@@LoveClassicMusic0205 Thanks for the updated info. It's been at least 20 years since I've received cancelled checks back in a statement.

The criminals would eventually learn to just put tape over the numbers.

A cashier's check you mean?

Or remember it’s 2023 and send the money electronically.

@@jonnyl2001 or a Banker's check

My bank does it for free and mails it as well for the couple places that don’t take online payments or charge you a fee

I did this for the money I owed on my taxes.

I'm still waiting on a response from two months ago on misleading bank advertisements - how long did you wait for a resolution?

new boxes are tamper proof not like many years ago alos they cant be booby trapped how can they know the balance in account to make the check much higher and they would be ided when the deposit it

This was rampant years ago before all of the online payment options.

Some banks also have an option to mail a check if the recipient doesn't have online billpay, and the bank's check has all those security measures on them.

Just new ways of highway robbery.

Yes, Thieves now days are getting bolder and even attack post office workers to get their mail. Very sad world we live in now.

Really? New to the Country?

Why do you mail checks in the first place? Its the year 2023. Stop living in the 70's.

@@nickv4073 it doesn’t really matter because if you deposit it by using the new features you still not protected, it’s been ppl using mobile banking and they still find a way to steal 🥴

@@Eshabee This video is not about depositing checks. Its about writing and mailing a check. Was that to difficult to comprehend?

If they go to a bank. The one that stole from me went to a fast cash place.

Print fingers would help too ,for both deposit and cash out

They can also you use an app to make the deposit.

@@susettehorspool2646 they take photos of you there for sure.

@@HRodz-eipx there would still be an ACH trail to follow. They could be prosecuted, but most of them know no one cares enough to pursue it.

The Uniball 207 pen is best, according to my bank.

Your welcome, what’s my reward?

@@SkinniJ knowledge.

Yes. That's what I use. You can also pay extra for the security checks.

The best pen to use, according to Nevada State Bank channel, is the Uniball 207.

that's what i use.

@@Fred-mp1vf Yes, my CPA recommended the Uniball 207 pen to me that has anti-fraud gel ink. He felt so strongly about it that he gave me one of these pens on the spot. Since then, I buy these pens by the dozen.

@@Fred-mp1vf Thanks. I've been using blue gel pens. I'll switch to the Uniball 207.

Those are Uniball 207 pens.

In the very rare instances where I have to write a paper check, I always take a quick photo of it on my phone. It's quick and easy to do.

Hey @Iggy Limon - do you have any OTHER clever ideas in your back pocket ?!?

These checks are stolen from the USPS collection boxes or delivery boxes. Apparently those boxes in a given area are all keyed the same, and a thief just needs to get a working key. Former post office employees might just cooperate in supplying such a key …

I take a picture too. I can't wait to pay off a balance transfer. This bank has a widget set up account situation I don't want. Then everything is online and /or via phone debit payment.

The issue is that most bills are sent to a PO box and nobody will be there to sign for it. They pick that stuff up in bulk to take to their own payment processing center where machines handle 99% of the work.

a person risks 20 years for a few thousand

Also Towbow black and blue rollerballs. I got these 'cos I like how they write, but was pleasantly surprised to find they don't wash.

Dolly, I would encourage you to look into editing your username here so it's not your full name. Unfortunately we have to be careful of what info we disclose about ourselves b/c people w bad intentions are always looking to take advantage and find a pattern. I hope your family was able to recover the lost funds and has since adapted new behaviors to avoid being targeted. It's a shame we can't have a more respectful society.

@@celita8183 Good !!

Checking your accounts daily is the best way. Waiting for a statement can give them 30 to 45 days to cover their tracks. With online access to my account so I can see all activity and I turn on all my notifications to let me know when there's any activity in my accounts.

The post office is still not doing well.

Sometimes what is needed is the old ways, such as cutting off one hand each time you are convicted of theft....

@@FC-qe1wl They would be a lot of people with no hands anymore. But I know that would cure the theft.

Ppl are too lazy and addicted to comfort to do that

Hey @E Kop - do you talk in ALL CAPITALS in daily life, too ?!? or repeat information already heard from another wiser source?? ehhh?

It won't matter... Post office workers are also thieves and that's a fact.

Yes. Some banks offer a similar service for business accounts where each transaction has to be approved by the business owner before it will go through. It costs, but it would avoid these sorts of losses. They just need to offer this service to ordinary customers as well.

in this day its all e checks unless itsa one ime pay still rare this happens w all the checks coming tru whata bot a business sending a check they have computer checks a computer check can be alered

You saying they mobile deposit and it clears ?

@@ELLABandz4o4 at one point I did the mistake of taking a check from my sister who has a bad criminal history, I renovated her room and she wanted to pay me with a check, which I didn’t think twice about, and I deposited it on my Regions app, the next day I was -$2000, let’s just say it got settled in court.

@@ELLABandz4o4 and I receive payroll checks from my employer, and because of frequent check fraud from Mobile Deposit, I used to bank with Navy Federal and they would take five days to give me the full amount of my money, I could only access $225.for the first few days, and then that’s why I switch to Regions, which gives me the money immediately, the risk being if you accept a check from someone you don’t trust or know, your account could be deeply put into the red. I am permanently with capital one bank as they verify checks before even processing them.

@@ELLABandz4o4 That's what happened to me. It was a mobile deposit of a check I wrote that was fished out of mailbox.

@@roachtoasties did it clear or no money was taking out your account

No, it's UniBall

@@wholeNwon G’day, Whole. Thanks. I rechecked the package and saw that I had misread. A good product. Courtesy of Half Vast Fkying

@@jackvoss5841 Hope you never need its features.

Depends where it was cashed. I think banks do investigate but it takes time and with sooo many scammers, it's a slow process. What about check cashing places? I don't know if they are held to similiar accountability.

@Porsche Guy - you "never ever keep much money in checking" due to you not having much money !!

Use pigment based ink pen or pay on line

@@jogmas12 I pay on line, have my bank send a bank cheque, or hand the check to the person (dentist, in this case).

@@HeronCoyote1234 ok, but if they washed your check you did not use a pigment based ink pen 🖊️. Check out the Uniball ink pens, they only $2.49 at Walmart for a pack of two. You see regular pens have dye based ink and are easily washed by acetone but pigment based pens embed their ink into the fibers of the paper and you literally have to destroy the check just to get the ink out.

getting the Uniball 207 ink pen will prevent check washing (the ink from that pen cannot be washed off).

Why not just pay your bills over the phone on there due dates, do automatic payments or pay online.

@darthjar9117. Sad, but true! We have become a nation of predators and grifters. The people who should be held accountable aren't being prosecuted--that's the only way to get this to stop.

Sadly we have to be very vigilant.

Yep tthat is what I do. Only keep enough in the account for the bills and on direct deposit day. Dont even trust a savings account...

AND the bank pays the postage! (I use this same method.)

True! The IRS now supposedly has 87k new workers, great job for those weasels

IRS only cares when you owe them money.

@@Rizky06 they regulate everyone that gives or receives any money of 10k or more. Why should this one be any different Right? Unless they are in the Scam together. The bankers and Scammers. Laundering money now. It’s registered to someone as a check IRS always gets notified.

Hey @Mary Madeline - any other brilliant ideas you come up with, when getting up out of bed on the wrong side ?!?

@@warriormanmaxx8991 nope I just don’t believe that that money can’t be traced to the thieves. IRS had our information and they don’t have theirs and yet it got cashed. I hope it doesn’t happen to you. I know if I was to do anything like that I’m hand cuffed.

Hey @Shareef Daniels - do you often repeat what you see/hear on RU-vid videos? Ever have an original thought?

@@warriormanmaxx8991 No this is my original thought coming from past experience. 🙂🙏

Don’t use checks. Period.

@@williamwilson6499 Impossible.

LOOK AT OLD FOOTAGE????? makes no sense.

@@macforme What I mean is the footage you see AFTER the crime has been committed.

I have had cases where I didn't have a choice. I needed to renew US Passport and doing through the Mail, you needed to send a bank check. Also when I needed health insurance, the company only accepted written checks through mail (they had an online process system but it was broken and it was a small company, and i had no choice but to use this company as it was through former employer)

I do!!

I write checks all the time.

Lots of fake Uniball pens from China. It's best to use a Sharpie bought from a reputable store like Walmart (not a third party).

@rocker 76\m/ - have you tried doing a phone survey to find out?!? no one here knows the answer to the question.

There are some people who do not have internet service so banking online is not an option.

Banks do as little as possible = More Profit.

The check paper should show signs of chemical alteration. Maybe it is not worth it for them.

@@alb12345672 all it would take is a simple black light flash light lol maybe they want this stuff to happen

Okay, but scammers can also steal your money and personal information online.

Have never learned English either, apparently :) - have never written

Hey @Charles Simonsen - probably due to you not having to pay any bills in your 24 years. You are INDEED "luckily." (who is paying your bills in life?)

@@warriormanmaxx8991 cash always gets you a better deal. If you were out on your own you'd know this

Only Uniball 207