Police officers are urging residents to be aware of ‘check washing’ after reports of an increase in incidents. Check washing is when criminals steal mailed checks and use chemicals to wash away the original ink, allowing them to change the payee name and dollar amount. Once changed, the bogus check is deposited or cashed.
How to protect yourself:
Avoid placing outgoing mail containing checks in residential mailboxes
Consider dropping checks inside the post office.
Use a gel pen with permanent ink when writing checks
Monitor your bank account closely
Watch for any unusual or unauthorized transactions until the check has fully cleared.