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Authored by the Maine Savings Fraud Prevention Team
Checks feel old fashioned, but they’re still one of the easiest payment methods for scammers to exploit. A check can be stolen out of a mailbox, altered in transit, or copied and cashed by someone who was never supposed to see it. The tricky part is that check fraud rarely announces itself. It shows up quietly, days or even weeks later, as a number that doesn’t match what you wrote or a payment you don’t remember making.
The good news is that a little routine goes a long way. Here’s what to watch for and how to find your way back to a secure account quickly if something looks off.
A payment you sent hasn’t cleared. If you mailed a check and it hasn’t processed in the usual window, don’t assume it’s fine. It might just be sitting in a slow mail pile, but it could also mean the check was intercepted. A quick call or message to the person or business you paid will tell you which one it is.
The amount on your statement doesn’t match what you wrote. This is one of the clearest red flags out there. Criminals sometimes use a method called check washing, where they lift your signature and rewrite the amount or payee. Pull up the cleared check image through Digital Banking and compare it against your own records. If the numbers don’t line up, that’s your cue to act.
A name you don’t recognize shows up as a payee. If your account shows a check written to someone you’ve never heard of, treat it as fraud until proven otherwise.
Checks or mail have gone missing. An empty spot in your checkbook or a mail delivery that never arrived are both signals that someone may have gotten hold of your blank checks. Lock down what’s left and report it.
Small, strange transactions appear out of nowhere. Fraud doesn’t always look like a check. Sometimes it starts as a tiny test withdrawal or a failed payment attempt, someone checking whether your account information works before they try something bigger.
You don’t need a complicated system, just a few minutes a week.
Turn on account alerts. Most people can set up notifications for withdrawals, deposits, low balances, and large transactions right from Digital Banking. If mobile banking isn’t your thing, ask us about phone, text, or email alerts instead.
Give your account a quick look every week. Scan for anything unfamiliar: a payment you don’t recognize, a check that cleared for the wrong amount, or a transaction that should have shown up by now and didn’t.
Check your cleared check images occasionally. Confirm the payee, the amount, and your signature all match what you actually wrote.
Keep a simple log of checks you send. A notebook, a spreadsheet, or even a note on your phone works. Jot down the date, the amount, and who it’s going to, so you have something to compare against later.
Slow down on checks you weren’t expecting. An unexpected check tied to a prize, a job offer, or a payment request is a classic setup for a scam. Ask questions before you deposit anything that caught you by surprise.
Reach out to us right away. The sooner we know, the more options we have, whether that’s flagging the transaction, placing a stop payment, or opening an investigation.
Gather what you can. Check numbers, statements, and any related emails or texts will help us move faster on your behalf.
Keep watching your account. Fraud sometimes comes in waves rather than a single hit, so don’t stop paying attention once you’ve reported the first issue.
Consider tightening security. Depending on what happened, that might mean updating your login credentials, adding extra protections, or in some cases opening a new account.
Check fraud is stressful, but catching it early puts you back in control. Review your account regularly, pay attention when something feels off, and don’t hesitate to call us the moment you notice a discrepancy. It’s a small routine that can save you a real headache.
If you’d like help setting up account alerts or want to walk through your Digital Banking settings together, stop by a branch or give us a call. We’re here to help you find your way to a more secure account, one good habit at a time.
Source: Adapted from information provided by America Saves, a campaign of the Consumer Federation of America, in partnership with the American Association of Credit Union Leagues, America’s Credit Unions, and TruStage.
Please be advised that you will no longer be subject to, or under the protection of, the privacy and security policies of the Maine Savings website. We encourage you to read the privacy and security policies of the site you are entering, which may be different than those of Maine Savings.
