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Americans warned not to mail checks
Security experts suggest Americans find another way to pay if you mail checks due rising fraud numbers.
If you mail checks, security experts say you should try to find another way to pay your bills.
Check fraud is on the rise, and law enforcement officials are sending out a warning to consumers to watch out before they put that check in the mailbox.
Authorities say scammers nationwide are forcing people to take additional safety measures.
Banks issued roughly 680,000 reports of check fraud to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network last year. And the U.S. Postal Inspection Service reported roughly 300,000 complaints of mail theft in 2021, more than double the prior year’s total.
This month in Kennesaw, police say they arrested a couple after a traffic stop revealed a bag full of mail during a traffic stop.
"Some of the mail had P.O. boxes, some had commercial addresses, some had residential addresses," said Kennesaw Police Officer David Buchanan.
FOX 5 has reported similar crimes in places like Sandy Springs and Dunwoody in recent months.
A common method scammers are using is called "washing," where information is erased and made out to a different person for a larger amount.
Police say whether you're sending a car or your utility bill, try to avoid using checks as much as possible.
"Look at ways you can use electronic transfers like Zelle, CashApp, or Venmo," Buchanan said.
At the very least, try to use a secure mail drop inside the post office.
Police say if you discover you've had a check stolen, contact your local police and they will work with the post office.
Banks generally reimburse customers if they are victims of check fraud within days. However, due to the growing number of fraud cases, refunds have slowed down in recent months.