Protect Your Finances from Mail Theft and Check Fraud

Check fraud is on the rise, and a big reason for this is mail theft. Criminals take advantage of banking regulations that require financial institutions to make check funds available quickly—often before fraud can be detected. By the time fraud is discovered, the stolen checks have already cleared, and the money is gone.
 

How Criminals Steal Checks

Fraudsters obtain checks in several ways, including:

• Taking mail left in residential mailboxes for too long.
• Stealing from USPS blue collection boxes after the last pickup.
• Breaking into USPS facilities.
• Robbing postal workers.
• Bribing USPS employees to provide access to mail.

How Criminals Alter Checks

Once criminals have the checks, they either deposit them with forged endorsements or manipulate them using two primary methods:

• Check Washing – Using chemicals to erase and change payee names or dollar amounts.
• Check Cooking – Digitally altering check images using editing software and high-quality printers to create counterfeit checks.

How to Protect Your Mail

• Pick up your mail promptly.
• If traveling, request a USPS Hold Mail™ service.
• Sign up for Informed Delivery® at USPS.com to track incoming mail.
• Use security envelopes to conceal check details.
• Mail checks inside the post office or use USPS blue collection boxes before the last pickup of the day.

How to Protect Your Checks

• Use indelible black ink to prevent check washing.
• Fill out checks completely—avoid blank spaces.
• Don’t include personal details like your Social Security or driver’s license number.
• Use online banking to monitor checks and transactions.
• Consider digital payment options like ACH transfers, mobile payments, or e-checks.
• Use checks with security features like watermarks, microprinting, and heat-sensitive ink.
• Follow up with recipients to confirm they received your check.

How Provident is Protecting Against Check Fraud

At Provident, we take check fraud seriously and have implemented several measures to help protect our members:

• Advanced Fraud Detection Systems – We monitor transactions for unusual activity and notify members of suspicious transactions.
• Security-Enhanced Checks – Our checks include advanced security features to make check washing and counterfeiting more difficult.
• Online and Mobile Banking Alerts – Members can set up alerts to monitor account activity and catch fraudulent transactions quickly.
• Education and Awareness – We provide resources and guidance to help members recognize and prevent check fraud.

What to Do If You Are a Victim

If you suspect check fraud:

• Contact your financial institution immediately.
• Consider closing compromised accounts and opening a new one.
• Report fraud to law enforcement and financial institutions.
• File a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
• Report mail theft-related check fraud to the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) at uspis.gov/report or call 1-877-876-2455.

Protect yourself and your community by staying vigilant. Check fraud is evolving, but by taking the right precautions and leveraging Provident’s fraud prevention tools, you can reduce your risk and keep your finances safe.