Criminals are known to raid mailboxes and take off with checks so they can alter them and steal money. One way to prevent this from happening is by not leaving your mail in your mailbox overnight or for long periods of time. If you’re heading out of town, you can pause your mail delivery for peace of mind. If you’re sending a check in the mail, don’t drop it in your mailbox. Instead, mail it from a USPS location or mailbox to ensure it gets to where it needs to go safely.

If criminals get ahold of your check, they could use what’s known as check washing. Chemicals are used to “wash” checks, erasing and rewriting details to siphon funds into their own accounts.

Lastly, if a criminal gets ahold of your account and routing number, they can stow that information away, and easily steal your money by creating counterfeit checks using modern printers and software.

Remember, every time you write a check, you expose your personal information, such as your name, contact information and bank account number.

• Avoid Blank Spaces: Make sure you fill out every blank space on a check so criminals can't fill them in instead.
• Withold Personal Information: You don't need to add personal information to your checks.
• Use Permanent Gel Pens: Use permanent ink when you write a check.
• Review Accounts: Regularly monitor your account activity in Digital Banking. This ensures you quickly notice anything out of the ordinary.
• Check Your Checks: Regularly review your paid checks in Digital Banking. Ensure the endorsement is correct and reflects the intended payee and amount to guard against fraud.
• Use Digital Payment Options: Consider using the Payment or Bill Pay tools in Digital Banking for fast and secure payments.
• Follow Up: Make sure to follow up with payees to confirm they've received and deposited your check.