Fraud isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it’s a piece of paper or a PDF in your inbox that looks routine. In 2024 alone, the FTC logged more than $12.5 billion in consumer fraud losses, with a significant portion attributed to payment scams.
Check fraud remains one of the largest categories. High-resolution printers, stolen account data, and convincing email templates make it easy to produce a fake check that clears for a day or two before bouncing. Whether it appears in your mailbox or inbox, knowing what to look for could save you thousands.
This guide breaks down the key red flags in both paper and digital forms, as well as practical steps you can take to verify a check before acting. It also shows why services like professional check issuing, lockbox, and ACH payments provide more security than going it alone.
The Top Red Flags to Look Out For
Red Flag #1: The Source & Story Are Suspicious
The easiest way to spot trouble is to question the story. Did you actually request this check? Do you recognize the sender? If it comes out of the blue, such as from a stranger in a marketplace or a social media message, it’s already high-risk.
Watch for pressure tactics. Scammers will say, “Act now,” “Don’t tell your bank yet,” or “It expires in 24 hours.” They’ll also send more than you’re owed and ask for a refund. This “overpayment” ploy accounts for a significant portion of fake-check complaints each year. When a stranger’s story doesn’t add up, treat the check as suspect until proven otherwise.
Red Flag #2: The Physical Check Feels “Off”
You feel like something about the check is wrong. The check may have glossy paper, oddly stiff paper, or a lack of watermarks, microfibers, or heat-activated ink (all characteristics you would expect to see in a genuine check).
Now look at the bank info. Is the routing number valid? Does it even match the bank listed? You can check that online. A missing logo or vague return address is also sketchy.
And then there’s the print itself: blurry text, pixelated graphics, or weird spacing along the MICR line (those numbers at the bottom). That’s where scammers get lazy.
Even the envelope can give you a clue. If it appears tampered with or postmarked from a location far from the supposed issuer, stop and double-check.
Red Flag #3: The Digital Check Raises Alarms
Scammers have moved into inboxes, too, often sending check images and asking you to print and deposit them. If you’ve ever wondered how to spot a fake check through email, the short answer is simple: Treat it as risky unless you can verify every detail.
Many fraudsters email a PDF or image and instruct you to print and deposit it via mobile or ATM. That hides their identity and allows them to repeatedly use stolen account information. In most cases, there’s no physical original to confirm, and you may even be unknowingly involved in duplicate presentment, where the same check is deposited twice, once by you and once by someone else. Your bank may reverse funds later, even if you didn’t mean to break the rules.
Legitimate emailed checks do exist, especially when handled through secure platforms like CheckIssuing. While not every emailed check can be trusted, email checks are safe when sent through verified systems that control both the issuance and access process. If a stranger sends you one without context or urgency is involved, don’t take chances. Request a secure alternative, such as an ACH transfer.
How to Verify a Check
Red flags are useful, but you still need a plan when a check lands in your hands (or inbox).
For Physical Checks
- Use the bank’s real phone number. Find it on their website, not on the check itself.
- Ask if the check number, amount, and payee match what they issued.
- Double-check the routing number using the ABA lookup tool.
- For a Treasury check, use TCVS to verify that it’s legit.
For Emailed or Digital Checks
- Treat unsolicited “email checks” as high-risk.
- Ask the sender for an alternative, such as an ACH transfer, wire, or a check mailed from a verifiable address.
- Never deposit a check you printed yourself unless you’re sure it came from a legitimate, pre-arranged system.
Wait For Full Clearance
Funds may appear “available” quickly, but final settlement can take longer. If a check is returned after you’ve spent the money, you’re responsible for repaying the bank. When in doubt, hold off on spending until your bank confirms the final payment.
Report Suspicious Items
If a mailed check looks counterfeit or altered, contact your bank’s fraud team, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Acting quickly may limit your losses.
Secure Alternatives to Insecure Checks
Paper checks weren’t built for today’s fast, online environment. They’re easy to counterfeit, vulnerable to mail theft and “check washing,” and require manual processing. Even with bank safeguards, once a counterfeit enters the system, the burden of proof can fall on you.
Professional Check Issuing Services
Outsourcing check payments to a secure service adds layers of control that are hard to replicate in-house. Professional platforms print on MICR-enabled stock with thermochromic ink, watermarks, and chemical-wash detection boxes.
They automatically create Positive Pay files for banks, so any altered or unauthorized item is flagged before payment. Checks are mailed from secure facilities using security-tinted envelopes and can be tracked through USPS or FedEx with delivery confirmation.
Lockbox & ACH
Lockbox services receive mailed payments at a secure, centralized address where staff scan, deposit, and reconcile items without exposing them to internal mailrooms. This minimizes theft and speeds processing.
ACH (Automated Clearing House) transfers eliminate paper from the equation entirely. ACH transactions are electronic, traceable, and regulated by NACHA rules that require security and dispute resolution procedures. When businesses are paying vendors or employees, ACH is faster, more difficult to counterfeit, and easier to audit.
Don’t Be a Victim
If you’re tired of second-guessing every check, it may be time to hand the process off. CheckIssuing’s secure check printing, lockbox, and ACH payment processing services combine controlled printing, bank-integrated fraud prevention, and tracked delivery. We will transform a weak point in your financial process into a strong one, restoring your peace of mind. Let’s have a conversation.
Key Takeaways
- Check fraud is rising sharply: The FTC reported over $12.5 billion in consumer fraud losses in 2024, much of it tied to payment and check-related scams .
- Common red flags include: Suspicious senders, inconsistent routing numbers, missing watermarks, and unsolicited emailed checks that pressure quick action.
- Verification steps matter: Use official tools like the ABA routing number lookup and Treasury Check Verification System (TCVS) to confirm authenticity .
- Emailed checks require caution: Only trust digital checks from verified platforms with end-to-end encryption and traceable issuance.
- Safer payment alternatives exist: Outsourced check issuing, lockbox services, and ACH payment processing drastically reduce fraud risk and improve traceability.
Citations
- Federal Trade Commission. (2025). New FTC Data Show Big Jump in Reported Losses to Fraud — $12.5 Billion in 2024. Retrieved from https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/03/new-ftc-data-show-big-jump-reported-losses-fraud-125-billion-2024
- American Bankers Association. (n.d.). ABA Routing Number Lookup. Retrieved from https://routingnumber.aba.com/default1.aspx
- Bureau of the Fiscal Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury. (n.d.). Treasury Check Verification System (TCVS). Retrieved from https://tcvs.fiscal.treasury.gov/