How to Spot a Washed or Altered Check (and the Check Stock Features That Stop It)
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A washed check usually gives itself away: the payee or amount is in different ink or handwriting from the rest of the check, or the paper looks stained, rough or thinned where the writing used to be. Check stock with chemical-reactive paper, a toner-grip treatment and a void pantograph is built to show tampering or resist it, and printing the payee and amount in toner instead of handwriting takes away the easy target.
Check washing is mail theft plus a chemistry step
A thief pulls a check out of a mailbox, soaks off the ink with a solvent, and writes in a new payee and often a bigger amount. The federal HelpWithMyBank.gov site names bleach and acetone as examples of the chemicals used. FinCEN's 2023 mail-theft check fraud alert adds that washers often raise the amount by hundreds or thousands of dollars, and that washed checks are sometimes copied and sold to other criminals.
FinCEN's August 2024 trend analysis looked at mail-theft check fraud reports from banks. In the reports it reviewed by hand, altered checks made up about 44 percent. The payee line was the section changed most often, and the amount came second, usually made higher.
Signs you can see on the check or the image
Nothing here proves a check was washed, but each one is a reason to call the bank before you pay or deposit.
- The payee is written in a different pen, or a different hand, than the signature and date.
- The ink around the payee or amount looks faded, blotchy or smeared compared with the rest of the check.
- The paper is rough, shiny, thin or discolored in one spot.
- The numerals and the written-out amount do not match, or the written amount is squeezed into too little space.
- Stains or a VOID message appear on stock that is made to react to solvents.
If you are the one who wrote the check, compare the paid-item image in your online banking against what you issued. Do that within a few days, not at month end.
Print the payee and amount instead of handwriting them
Washing works because handwritten ink can be removed and rewritten. A laser-printed check hands the thief a harder job. ACOM's secure blank check stock pages describe Toner Grip as a paper treatment that makes toner hard to remove from laser-printed documents. TROY says its MICR Toner Secure contains a red dye that stains through the document if someone tries to alter it chemically (see TROY's MICR rejection article). Both are manufacturer claims, so treat them as a layer of protection and not a guarantee.
Which security features stop which trick
The features below are the ones listed on ACOM's Blue-Green Top Check product page. That page lists 12 features in all.
| Feature | What it does | Helps against washing? |
|---|---|---|
| Solvent dye reaction | Stains appear if someone tries to chemically alter the check | Yes, shows the attempt |
| Brownstain / Check Protect | Reacts to chlorine-based eradicators and leaves a stain or a multilingual VOID | Yes, shows the attempt |
| Toner Grip+ | Paper treatment that makes toner hard to remove | Resists the attempt |
| Copy-void pantograph | VOID appears when the check is copied or scanned | No, it stops copies |
| Micro printing | Tiny text that photocopiers cannot reproduce | No, it helps spot counterfeits |
| Fluorescent fibers | Show only under ultraviolet light | No, it helps verify the paper |
| Warning band | Tells the receiver which features to look for | No, it helps verify the paper |
The point of that last column: a pantograph will not save a washed check. Chemical reactivity and toner treatments do the washing work, and the copy features do the counterfeit work. You want both on the same sheet. Browse the U.S. secure blank check stock to see which features each style lists.
Close the gaps around the paper
Mail is the weak point, since that is where the checks get stolen. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service advises dropping outgoing mail in blue collection boxes before the last pickup or at the Post Office, never leaving mail in your box overnight, and holding mail when you travel.
At the bank, Positive Pay compares each presented check with your issued-check list. With payee match turned on, a changed payee becomes an exception you can reject. Our Positive Pay article covers what the file needs.
Blank stock helps in a smaller way. It has no account number on it, so a stolen box is not a usable checkbook until your printer adds the MICR line.
Frequently asked questions
Does a void pantograph stop check washing?
No. A pantograph shows VOID on copies and scans. ACOM's product pages describe it as preventing photocopying in most cases. Washing is stopped or revealed by chemical-reactive paper and toner treatments.
Which part of a check do thieves change most?
In the FinCEN trend analysis cited above, the payee line was altered most often, followed by the amount.
Can a laser-printed check still be washed?
It can be harder, and it is not impossible. That is why the stock should react to solvents as well as resist toner removal, and why a bank control like Positive Pay is worth having.
What should I do if I think a check was altered?
Call your bank right away and ask what its process is for altered items. Keep the original check and the paid-item image.
Talk to us
Questions about check stock, MICR toner or printers? Call ACOM Business Solutions at 800-891-7899 or use the contact page.