HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – The Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office and the Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office advise area residents to be aware of check washing scams.
This type of scam has been reported nationally as well as within Hunterdon County, officials said.
Check washing involves criminals stealing checks from your mailboxes, altering them, and cashing them for higher amounts. Chemicals are used to remove the ink and the check is rewritten to the criminal’s advantage.
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that losses from check fraud total $1.8 billion annually.
How to protect your mail:
- Get your mail promptly after delivery. Don’t let mail sit overnight!
- If you are heading out of town, ask the post office to hold your mail,
- Consider buying security envelopes to conceal the contents of your mail,
- Drop off your mail at the post office,
- Contact the sender if you don’t receive mail that you’re expecting,
- Keep an eye out for non-postal vehicles driving slowly near mailbox on the street,
- Report suspicious activity to your local police.
How to protect your checks:
- Use mobile or online banking, consider using e-checks, ACH automatic payments, and other electronic or mobile payments,
- If your bank provides images of paid checks, review the back of the check to ensure the endorsement information is correct,
- Don’t leave blank spaces in the payee or amount lines,
- Use pens with indelible black ink so it is more difficult for the criminal to wash your checks,
- Don’t write personal details, such as Social Security number, credit card information, driver’s license number, or phone number on checks,
- Always review your bank activity and statements for errors.
If you suspect checks have been washed file a report immediately with:
- Your bank,
- Your local police department,
- The United States Postal Inspection Service at www.uspis.gov/report or call 1-877-876-2455.
For more information on nationwide fraud losses, click here.
