Protect Yourself From Wire Fraud
Nov 04 2026
Nov 04 2026
Protect Yourself from Check Fraud
Though scams often end with victims losing money, they sometimes begin with a check in the mail. Criminals send fraudulent checks to their targets with crafty stories that convince victims to spend the money before the check clears.
How the scam works
- The Setup: A scammer reaches out with a fake job offer, inheritance claim, foreign lottery payout, or to buy or sell something.
- The Deposit: The scammer sends a check to the victim, who deposits it.
- The Request: The scammer asks the victim to send back a portion of the funds to cover taxes, fees, legal expenses, or an accidental overpayment.
- The Bounce: The check bounces or is flagged as fraudulent – the funds that initially appeared in the victim’s account disappear.
- The Loss: The victim is legally responsible for the full amount of the bad check.
How to protect yourself
- Talk to your banker before depositing a new check or sending money to someone you don’t know.
- Don’t rush to spend funds soon after they become available – checks can be returned months later.
- Be especially wary of foreign checks, which take much longer to clear. Scammers exploit this verification gap to steal funds before the fraudulent check is identified.
If you believe you may have fallen victim to a scam, contact your local branch or our Customer Care Center at 888-816-8064 immediately.