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Protect Yourself — Reduce Check Fraud

When fighting check fraud, nothing is 100 percent. No feature or program can completely eliminate check fraud, and no prevention system is foolproof. However, specific practices can complicate a criminal’s counterfeiting efforts.

1. Implement positive pay. It's the most effective way to identify check fraud.
2. Safeguard incoming and outgoing mail. If regular statements or bills fail to reach you, call the company to find out why. Put outgoing mail in a secure mailbox.
3. Shred unwanted documents that contain sensitive information before disposing of them, including junk mail, financial solicitations, bank statements, paid checks, doctor bills and insurance documents.
4. Reconcile monthly statements ASAP. Report questionable activity immediately to head off any additional fraud.
5. Perform research before giving checks to any unfamiliar charities or organizations.
6. Pay bills online to reduce your check volume in circulation.