A surge in mail theft-related check fraud has prompted the FBI to issue a new warning in the Houston area. The warning highlights the dramatic increase in such cases, urging individuals and businesses to take precautions against this growing threat.
The Houston area is experiencing a surge in crimes involving stolen mail, prompting the FBI to issue a new warning about the escalating threat of check fraud . The warning, the first in several years, highlights the dramatic increase in check fraud cases linked to stolen mail. According to the FBI, suspicious activity reports related to check fraud have nearly doubled from 2021 to 2023.
Criminals are exploiting a loophole in financial regulations that require institutions to make check funds available within a short timeframe, often too quickly for consumers or institutions to detect and prevent fraud. Thieves gain access to legitimate checks and sensitive financial data by stealing them from USPS facilities or during delivery.Once stolen, these checks are often “washed” or “cooked” to create counterfeits. Check washing involves using chemicals to physically alter the check, typically changing the payee and the amount. Check cooking uses digital manipulation of an image of a stolen check, allowing fraudsters to produce multiple checks from a single image. These altered checks are frequently for smaller amounts, making them more likely to go unnoticed for extended periods. The FBI emphasizes that this type of fraud harms businesses, consumers, and government entities. They recommend several preventive measures: promptly collecting mail, avoiding leaving mail in mailboxes overnight, contacting senders if expecting valuable mail is missing, using secure mailing methods, writing checks with indelible black ink, avoiding writing personal details on checks, utilizing mobile or online banking to review check activity, confirming check receipt with payees, and considering check positive pay options. The FBI also advises using checks with security features, reporting any suspected fraud to banks immediately, and protecting vulnerable individuals from becoming unwitting accomplices
CHECK FRAUD STOLEN MAIL FBI WARNING HOUSTON MAIL THEFT SECURITY
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