Check fraud is back in a big way, fueled by a rise in organized crime that is forcing small businesses and individuals to take additional safety measures or to avoid sending checks through the mail altogether. Banks reported roughly 680,000 reports of check fraud to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN, last year. That’s up from 350,000 reports in 2021. Officials are warning Americans to avoid mailing checks if possible, or at least to use a secure mail drop such as inside the post office.
There are so many small to midsize business that are still paying with paper checks for whatever reason even when other options are available.
My wife is an accountant and some of the stories she tells about helping business try to get paper checks to government entities to pay taxes or fees just leave me shaking my head every time.