It is not safe to deposit a check from a stranger. The check is very likely part of a scam, and you could face significant financial loss and potential legal trouble if you deposit it.
If you deposit a scammer's check, the bank initially makes funds available, but when the check is discovered to be fake (which can take weeks), the bank reverses the deposit, making you responsible for any money you spent or sent to the scammer, often resulting in overdrafts, fees, and lost funds, plus potential investigation by law enforcement. Essentially, the scammer gets your real money, and you owe the bank for the fake funds.
You know someone's scamming you with a check if they send a check for too much money, ask you to send some back or to a third party (like for "fees"), or if the check itself has physical red flags like smudged ink, flimsy paper, mismatched numbers (top vs. bottom), or incorrect bank info, often coupled with high-pressure tactics or a story about overpayment for a job or prize. The check often looks real but fails security checks because banks take weeks to discover the fraud, by which time you've sent your own money.
How to Deposit or Cash a Check at the Bank
One option is to use a secure financial platform, such as PayPal. That's because it's possible to send or receive money via an active email address or a unique payment link, eliminating the need to share banking details.
Here are some of the most secure payment methods available online:
Your bank account number alone is not enough for someone to withdraw money from your account. Scammers can use your bank account and routing number to commit ACH fraud, make online purchases, deposit money for illegal activities, and create fraudulent checks.
It's natural to wonder whether your check information is safe with mobile deposit, but rest assured that check images aren't actually stored on your phone. Your bank stores the deposit data on a protected and encrypted web server.
Cashier's checks are safer to use.
Although there are check scams involving fake cashier's checks and money orders, a cashier's check has more security features than a typical money order. Also, a cashier's check is backed by a bank and may carry more clout with the payee than being backed by a check cashing store.
Yes, Zelle is safe to use. It works by connecting directly to your bank account through your bank's app or the Zelle app. However, since Zelle transfers are instant and can't be reversed, scammers often target Zelle users with different tricks to get your money.
Recognize Check Fraud Red Flags
They can obtain the bank it was deposited at, and likely the last 4 of the account number it went into. It's common that this is printed on the back of the check by the depositing bank when it's scanned in.
You know someone's scamming you with a check if they send a check for too much money, ask you to send some back or to a third party (like for "fees"), or if the check itself has physical red flags like smudged ink, flimsy paper, mismatched numbers (top vs. bottom), or incorrect bank info, often coupled with high-pressure tactics or a story about overpayment for a job or prize. The check often looks real but fails security checks because banks take weeks to discover the fraud, by which time you've sent your own money.
Be a stickler about signatures and dates
Another precaution you can take when accepting checks is to require the customer to sign it in front of you. A pre-signed check could indicate that it's stolen or counterfeit. You can also require customers to date the check with the current date.
How To Avoid a Fake Check Scam
Some other reasons you may void a check include:
This means the payment is guaranteed, unless the check is counterfeit, so there are risks to consumers and businesses from these types of paper instruments, as well. Unfortunately, criminals have come to rely on their victim's sense of “security” provided by cashier's checks and official bank checks.
A check might be ineligible for mobile deposit if it's for someone else, altered, post-dated, stale (over 6 months old), a third-party check, money order, traveler's check, foreign check, or if the image quality is poor (blurry, folded, dark, missing corners) or endorsements are incorrect/missing. Other reasons include exceeding deposit limits, mismatching amounts, or it's a duplicate/previously deposited item, requiring proper front/back endorsement.
It's a good idea to keep your check for 30 days or until you are sure that the full amount has posted to your account. After you have confirmed the deposited funds have been applied to your account correctly, destroy the check or mark it "VOID."
Zelle is a legitimate and widely used payment app that makes sending money fast and convenient. But its speed and simplicity are also attractive to scammers, potentially putting users at risk of account takeovers, identity theft, and financial loss.
To make a bank transfer, you'll need the: