New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection
The Department of State’s
Division of Consumer Protection is providing consumers with guidance to avoid
mail theft and check washing schemes. During check washing schemes, thieves
steal checks, often in bulk from U.S. Postal Service mail collection boxes and
use common chemicals like nail polish remover to erase (or “wash”) the payee
and dollar amount while preserving the check’s original signature. These
scammers can then profit from making checks out to themselves or selling the
stolen, signed blank checks.
According to the US Financial
Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the number of check fraud crimes
nationwide surged in 2020 and has worsened each year since. In 2022, FinCEN
received over 680,000 suspicious activity reports related to check fraud, almost
twice number recorded in 2021.
“People may not be writing as
many paper checks but check fraud is still a serious issue because check
washing scams can cost consumers hundreds to even thousands of dollars and the
fraudulent charges can take weeks to reverse,” said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “To
protect against having your bank account emptied, I encourage New Yorkers to
follow our tips to protect themselves and their businesses.”
READ MORE: How to prevent being a victim of scams and fraud
Daniel B.
Brubaker, Inspector in Charge of the New York Division said, “When thieves violate the sanctity of the
mail, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will spare no resource to bring these
nefarious individuals to justice for their crimes. Our persistence in investigating these crimes, along with recent
enhancements to USPS equipment and other prevention efforts, are the many ways
we ensure the public’s trust in the U.S. Mail.”
Follow these tips to avoid mail
theft and check washing scams:
TIPS TO AVOID CHECK
WASHING:
- Go
directly to the post office to drop off your mail: When
using a Blue Collection Box, try to do so before the last pickup of the
day to minimize the amount of time the check spends in the box.
- Check
your mailbox frequently: Don’t leave mail in your
mailbox overnight.
- Hold
mail at your local post office: If you are
going to be away from home and can’t check your mail, request to have your
mail held at your local post office or have a trusted neighbor pick it up
until your return. You can submit a USPS Hold Mail request online at www.usps.com/manage/hold-mail.htm
or in-person at your local post office.
- Use
black gel pens: Gel pens may have ink that
thieves have greater difficulty erasing compared to standard ballpoint
pens.
- Sign
up for informed delivery from USPS: Informed
delivery services allow consumers to receive a daily email with pictures
of all letter-sized mail for that address each day. You can sign up online
at www.usps.com/manage/informed-delivery.htm
- Review
your checking account regularly: Look out
for unusual or unexpected withdrawals from your bank account and take time
to confirm when your checks clear.
What to do if you
experience check washing:
- Contact
your bank immediately.
- Report
the check washing to the United States Postal Inspection Service
at 1-877-876-2455 or www.uspis.gov/report
About the New York
State Division of Consumer Protection
The New York State Division of
Consumer Protection provides resources and education materials to consumers, as
well as voluntary mediation services between consumers and businesses. The
Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from
8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be
filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection.
For other consumer protection
tips and consumer alerts, consumers can visit the DCP website or follow DCP on
social media via Twitter at @NYSConsumer or Facebook at www.facebook.com/nysconsumer.
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