Check washing — a crime many thought had faded away — is once again a major threat to consumers, small businesses, and community banks across the country. Criminals are combining old‑fashioned mail theft with new digital tools to steal funds quickly and quietly.
As a community bank, protecting our customers begins with awareness. Here’s what you need to know about how check washing works, why it’s rising, and how you can safeguard your accounts.
What Is Check Washing?
Check washing happens when criminals steal a paper check and use chemicals such as acetone, bleach, or nail polish remover to erase the original ink. Once the ink is removed, they rewrite the check:
- To a new payee
- For a larger dollar amount
Your original signature remains intact, making the check appear legitimate during processing.
Why Check Washing Has Suddenly Surged.
Mail Theft Is on the Rise
Criminals are routinely targeting:
- Residential mailboxes
- Apartment mail clusters
- USPS blue collection boxes, especially overnight
Criminals Now Use Advanced Tools
Fraudsters have moved beyond simple chemical washing. They now:
- Scan checks and digitally alter them
- Print convincing replicas (“check cooking”)
- Use high-quality printers and specialty inks
- Forge identities or create synthetic ones
- Use AI to mimic handwriting or design flawless counterfeits
Why Checks Are Still Attractive to Criminals.
Even though digital payments are safer and more common, criminals still love checks because:
- Checks contain everything needed to commit fraud: routing number, account number, name, address, and signature, and many businesses still rely on checks.
- 91% of organizations still use checks, and over 75% have no plans to stop, keeping the threat alive into 2025.
- According to the 2025 Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) Payments Fraud Survey, 63% of organizations experienced attempted or actual check fraud in 2024, the highest of any payment method.
Some Points to Protect You.
- Do not use an envelope with windows. This may seem like defeating the purpose, but taking a little extra time to address an envelope will help hide the contents.
- Use a Gel Pen. Gel ink bonds deeper with the paper and is far harder to dissolve with chemicals.
- Monitor Your Accounts Regularly. Set up account alerts that will alert you if a check or transaction is above a certain dollar amount threshold, and review transactions every few days.
- Choose Electronic Payments When Possible. For recurring bills or large payments, electronic transfers are safer than mailing a check.
If You Believe You’re a Victim.
- Contact your bank immediately.
- Report mail theft to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
- Freeze Your Account if identity information was stolen.
Checks have been used for a long time and are a tried-and-true way of doing business. Keep safe and stay vigilant.