Know How to Spot a Bad Check

Many fraudulent checks are visibly phony. By paying close attention to a check's appearance, you can often detect a possible bad check before accepting it as payment. When you see one or more of the following telltale signs, you may be looking at a phony check. Protect yourself against possible losses by requiring management approval of the check or asking for an alternative form of payment.

Tips to Spot a Bad Check

• Apparently altered writing or erasures
• Glossy rather than dull finish of magnetic ink
• No perforation on check edges
• Numbered under 500 (new account)
• Post-dated
• Signature does not match imprinted name and ID
• Water spots or alterations of check's color or graphic background