The USPS postal inspector reveals how to send checks to avoid flight
Proceed with caution when you write and send checks.
Although it is now common to pay your bills online or Register in Autopay , some of us always prefer to send checks. With whatever from the mail . If you pay checks in the traditional way, you will want to pay attention to the new advice of a postal Inspector of the American postal service (USPS), namely those who will help keep your money harder in safety and solid. Read the rest to find out how to write and send checks by mail to avoid theft.
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There was an increase in mail flight and fraud by check.
In February, the US Financial Treasury Department Crimes Smart Network (Fincen) expressed an alert About a "national increase in the flight of mail linked to fraud regimes per check", noting that the number of reports of fraud per check filed by banks has doubled from 2021 to 2022.
In a recent interview with Federal News Network, postal inspector Michael Margin , from US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), reiterated "alarming" Upsick in rables Transporters of letters in service. When you deprive letters transporters, thieves often look for their arrow keys. These open blue collectibles and allow them to take packages and mail, which often contain checks.
The criminals fly these checks and modify them to include their own names or commercial accounts they control, according to the Fincen alert. During this process, known as check washing, the bad players also increase the amount of the check before collecting them.
The USPS and the USPIS introduce measures to dissuade thieves, but when it comes to sending checks by mail, there are also some precautions that you can take.
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Be aware of how you send and receive mail.
To prevent checks from being pounded from the outside of your own house, do not leave the mail seated in your mailbox.
"You can considerably reduce the chances of being victims simply by deleting the mail from your mailbox every day," Martel told Federal News Network, noting that sending your local post office checks is also a good idea.
Find your mail via USPS ' Lit delivery The functionality is also useful, said Martel. According to the agency's website, the functionality will send you photos of the mail and packages that will be delivered to you that day.
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Also think about how you write your checks.
To ensure the safety of your checks while they go through the messaging system, consider the writing instrument you use. Although you can reach your standard ball point, Ryan Moody , Vice-President Director of Payment Product Management at Vericast, Federal News Network told there a better choice. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
According to Moody, checks filled with a gel pen are more difficult to "wash" for fraudsters. This is due to how ink is absorbed in paper.
"When these chemicals are applied to a control that has this ink absorbed in the document, these chemicals are not very lucky against this, it is therefore very easy to see that the check has been modified," said Moody to Federal News Network.
As the first community bank explains, gel pens have pigments " Suspended in a water -based gel ", which means that they are resistant to most chemicals used for control washing. This type of ink is capable of binding better on paper, unlike the ink based on oil that are deposited On the surface of the paper and is easily washed accordingly. The gel ink dries faster and does not lead, so your writing is more readable and durable.
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The USPS says it does its part.
While you are heading for the desktop supplies store for some alcohol test pens, USPS are also USPIs to keep your mail and your checks safe.
"The main mission of the postal inspection service is the holiness and security of the American mail, employees of the postal service and customers themselves. We want the American people to have the greatest faith than if they deposit this payment Invoice in the mail flow, it will be absolutely at their destination. This is one of our main priorities, "Martel told Federal News Network.
Nearly 50,000 collection boxes will soon be equipped with electronic locks, while others will require additional authentication to access, hopefully, discouraging the theft of key operators, Federal News Network reported.
"What is done is that it devalues the key. It devals the very thing as criminals who seek to deprive our letters of letters seek first." Martel said at the exit. "We seek to increase the safety of our letters transporters using a technological approach to the problem and to the devaluation of these keys that we have seen in the past."
In addition to that, Martel said that agencies are more vigilant with local cases and the arrest of bad actors.
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