Check washing is the process of erasing details from
checks to allow them to be rewritten, usually for
criminal purposes such as fraudulent withdrawal from the victim's
bank account
A bank account is a financial account maintained by a bank or other financial institution in which the financial transactions between the bank and a customer are recorded. Each financial institution sets the terms and conditions for each type of ...
.
Various steps can be taken by the writer of the check to reduce the possibility of falling victim to check washing. These include mailing checks by placing them in secured mailboxes, using secure ink dispensed from a gel, rollerball, or
fountain pen
A fountain pen is a writing instrument which uses a metal nib to apply a water-based ink to paper. It is distinguished from earlier dip pens by using an internal reservoir to hold ink, eliminating the need to repeatedly dip the pen in an in ...
, filling in all lines on the check, and careful scrutiny of bank statements.
See also
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Bank fraud
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Cheque fraud
Cheque fraud (Commonwealth English), or check fraud (American English), refers to a category of criminal acts that involve making the unlawful use of cheques in order to illegally acquire or borrow funds that do not exist within the account balan ...
*
Identity theft
Identity theft occurs when someone uses another person's personal identifying information, like their name, identifying number, or credit card number, without their permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. The term ''identity theft'' was c ...
References
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Fraud
Washing
Washing is a method of cleaning, usually with water and soap or detergent. Washing and then rinsing both body and clothing is an essential part of good hygiene and health.
Often people use soaps and detergents to assist in the emulsification o ...