Stop potential check fraud - The Most Common Check Fraud Scam in its tracks!
Use Quickbooks Checks to make sure that you are doing everything possible to prevent your company from becoming a victim of check fraud. Not only are they easy to use, but also Quickbooks Checks have built in security features that make it simple for you to protect your business. Quickbooks Checks are made out of a paper that makes it virtually impossible for criminals to use ink removal chemicals.
A Quickbooks check is available with security features built right into their very paper fibers that prevent fraud via photocopying, such as a high resolution border; visible paper fibers; microprinting on the back; ultra-violet fluorescent fibers; watermark; and a security weave to the fiber.
Why is this so important to your business? Below we will share some startling statistics, as reported by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners:
- Check fraud costs American business owners over $2.9 trillion each year.
- Check fraud normally goes unnoticed for over 18 months, on average.
- A business who was a victim of check fraud loses an average of 5% of its yearly revenue as a result the fraud.
To add insult to injury, guess who is responsible for preventing check fraud? The bank? Nope. The forger? Nope. YOU ARE! UCC Codes have set guidelines making corporations responsible for at least part of the losses resulting from check fraud. This means that your company many never recover part or all of the money lost to check fraud, if the investigation determines that your company did not exercise enough care to prevent the fraud. In other words, you are responsible for protecting yourself.
One of the check forgery scams that Quickbooks Checks can help prevent is check washing, which is one of the most common check forgery scams. This serious scam costs American businesses over $815 million every year.
Here is a common check washing scenario: A criminal steals a check from the mail. He goes to his local MegaMart and purchases every day items to aid him in the check washing process. He may choose to use carpet cleaner, bleach, or lighter fluid; however, he will most likely choose to use acetone which is cheap and very effective. He will use a plain old eraser in combination with one of these solvents to completely eradicate the ink (except the authorized signature). He will then make out the check to another payee, in whatever dollar amount he wishes. Using a fake identification, he can take this check to the bank and cash it.
Quickbook Checks are available with the security features to prevent fraud by check washing. Considering the simplicity of the check washing scam outlined above, isn't is worth the investment in Quickbooks Checks?
Browse the full range of QuickBooks checks at Checkomatic to see available security features and formats.
What Is Check Washing and How Does It Work
Check washing is one of the most widely used check fraud techniques precisely because it requires no technical skill and only inexpensive materials. The original content above describes a realistic scenario. Here is the complete sequence that makes check washing so dangerous for businesses.
Step 1: Theft From the Mail
Most check washing starts with a stolen check. Criminals target business outgoing mail, shared mailboxes, and unattended mail slots. A check mailed to a vendor or utility company is particularly vulnerable because it may sit in an outgoing tray for hours before collection. Businesses that use check mailing services or drop checks in outdoor collection boxes are especially exposed.
Step 2: Solvent Application
Acetone is the most common solvent used in check washing because it is inexpensive, widely available, and highly effective on standard ink. Bleach and lighter fluid are alternatives. The criminal applies the solvent to the check paper using a cotton swab or similar applicator, dissolving the ink without (in most cases) visibly damaging the paper itself. Standard check paper provides no resistance to this process.
Step 3: Ink Removal
After solvent application, a simple eraser removes the softened ink. The target is the payee name and the dollar amount. The signature is typically left intact because it is harder to remove cleanly and because a matching signature is needed to pass the check at the bank. The result is a mostly blank check with an original signature and no other ink.
Step 4: Rewriting
The criminal writes a new payee name (often their own name or a fake identity) and a new dollar amount. On standard check paper with no chemical resistance, the new ink looks identical to the original. A teller examining the check sees what appears to be a complete, legitimate check.
Step 5: Fraudulent Cashing
Using fake identification matching the new payee name, the criminal presents the washed check at a bank branch or check cashing location. The transaction processes. The funds leave your account. By the time your bank statement arrives, the fraud is complete.
Why Check Washing Targets Businesses Specifically
Individual personal checks are targets of opportunity. Business checks are targets of value. Criminals who wash checks prefer business checks for three reasons that make the crime both more likely and more lucrative when a business is involved.
- Higher dollar amounts: Business checks written to vendors, suppliers, and contractors regularly run into the thousands of dollars. A washed business check can be cashed for far more than a typical personal check.
- Predictable mailing patterns: Businesses mail checks on regular schedules. Accounts payable cycles, payroll dates, and vendor payment terms are often publicly known or easily inferred. Criminals who monitor a business's mail can time their theft.
- Longer detection window: As the ACFE statistics in the original content note, check fraud goes unnoticed for an average of 18 months. Businesses reconciling monthly bank statements may not notice an altered check for weeks. The longer it goes undetected, the less recoverable the loss.
For more on what check types exist and how their security features differ, see our complete check types and terminology guide.
Six Security Features in QuickBooks Checks That Prevent Check Washing
The original content lists the security features. Here is what each one actually does and why it specifically stops check washing and related fraud.
1. Chemically Sensitive Paper
The most important feature for check washing prevention. The paper reacts permanently and visibly to any solvent that criminals use in the washing process. Acetone, bleach, lighter fluid, carpet cleaner , all react with the paper's chemical treatment, leaving a stain that cannot be removed or concealed. A criminal attempting to wash a QuickBooks check from Checkomatic exposes the fraud attempt on the check itself. The altered check becomes evidence rather than a working instrument.
2. Microprinting on the Back
Text printed at under one point size, visible as a solid line to the naked eye but degrading to an unreadable blur on any photocopy or scan. A criminal who cannot wash the check and attempts to photocopy it instead will produce a copy that fails the microprinting check used by bank tellers and verification systems.
3. Ultra-Violet Fluorescent Fibers
Fibers embedded in the paper that glow under ultraviolet light used by bank authentication equipment. These cannot be replicated by any standard printing process. Banks that scan checks under UV light can immediately distinguish genuine QuickBooks check paper from reproductions or washed and reprinted stock.
4. Watermark
A watermark embedded in the paper during manufacture. The watermark appears when the paper is held to a light source. Photocopies and reprints do not reproduce an authentic watermark. Tellers trained to verify checks can quickly confirm the presence or absence of the watermark as a basic authentication step.
5. Security Weave
A pattern woven into the paper fibers during manufacture. The security weave is visible under magnification and serves as another physical authentication marker that cannot be replicated by printing or photocopying on standard paper.
6. High Resolution Border
A detailed border design that is extremely difficult to reproduce accurately on standard photocopiers or printers. The fine lines in a high-resolution border degrade noticeably on any reproduction, giving tellers a clear visual signal when a check is not an original.
How Chemically Sensitive Paper Specifically Stops Check Washing
Standard check paper offers no chemical resistance. A drop of acetone on standard paper dissolves the ink, and the paper shows no evidence that anything was applied. The check appears clean and unused after the ink is removed. The criminal can write whatever they want on it.
Chemically sensitive paper works on a fundamentally different principle. The paper itself reacts to chemical contact. When a solvent is applied to chemically sensitive check paper, a reaction occurs in the paper's treatment layer that creates a permanent, visible stain. The stain cannot be washed out, bleached out, or concealed. It marks the check as tampered.
The practical result: a criminal who steals a QuickBooks check and attempts the standard check washing process will produce a stained, obviously altered check that no bank teller will accept. The fraud attempt fails at the paper level, before any other security feature even needs to activate.
This is why chemically sensitive paper is the core of check washing prevention. The other five features provide additional layers of authentication, but chemically sensitive paper is what makes the check washing process itself fail. For businesses currently using standard check paper, switching to QuickBooks checks with chemically sensitive paper is the single most effective check washing prevention step available.
What Happens When a Business Check Is Washed
The original content explains UCC liability correctly: your business may be responsible for losses if you did not take reasonable steps to prevent check fraud. Here is what that means in practice.
Immediate Financial Loss
When a washed check is cashed, the funds are withdrawn from your account. The bank processes the transaction because the check appears genuine. By the time you notice the fraudulent debit, the funds may already be beyond recovery.
The UCC Liability Question
UCC Article 3 governs negotiable instruments including business checks. Under UCC guidelines, a business that suffered check washing fraud may be able to seek recovery from the bank. However, the bank will examine whether the business used reasonable care in its check-writing practices. Using check stock without security features, particularly chemically sensitive paper, can be considered a failure of reasonable care. The result is that the business bears the loss rather than the bank.
The 18-Month Detection Problem
As the ACFE statistics note, check fraud goes undetected for an average of 18 months. A single washed check that goes unnoticed can embolden a criminal to repeat the fraud. Multiple fraudulent transactions over 18 months can add up to losses that far exceed the cost of an entire year of secure QuickBooks check stock. The investment in prevention is small relative to the potential undetected loss.
What to Do If a Check Is Washed
- Report the fraudulent transaction to your bank immediately. Do not wait for the next statement.
- File a police report. This is required by most insurance claims and bank fraud investigations.
- Place a stop payment on any outstanding checks from the same check series.
- Switch your remaining check stock to chemically sensitive paper before writing any further checks.
- Consult with your bank about UCC recovery options and the documentation they require.
For guidance on what security features to look for when ordering replacement check stock, see what is the best place to order checks online. For a full explanation of why QuickBooks checks represent a strong value relative to bank-issued check stock, see the benefits of using QuickBooks checks.
Accepted by the World's Leading Banks
Every QuickBooks check from Checkomatic meets and exceeds ABA (American Bankers Association) specifications. The security features that prevent check washing, including chemically sensitive paper, microprinting, UV fluorescent fibers, watermark, security weave, and high-resolution border, are all standard on Checkomatic's QuickBooks-compatible check stock. ABA compliance ensures every check clears through any US bank's reader-sorter system without rejection, while the security features ensure the check cannot be altered without visible evidence. See the complete range of business checks at Checkomatic.
What Customers Say About Checkomatic Business Checks
All reviews below are published on checkomatic.com and reproduced verbatim. Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product, 4.5 stars from 166 verified reviews.
"Been with them for 15 years. Always reliable, always good quality, good service. What more can you ask for?"
ATV Inc. | ★★★★★ 5/5 | April 5, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"ASJ Wilson Construction has been a client of checkomatic for some years now and they've never disappointed this company. Thank you checkomatic for all that you do."
ASJ Wilson Construction | ★★★★★ 5/5 | June 6, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"We use CheckoMatic for all of our check needs! They have great prices and we receive our products in a timely manner!"
CG's Tax Service | ★★★★★ 5/5 | September 18, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"I got 500 checks for less than half of what the bank wanted for 200!"
VVA Voucher Checks (Vietnam Veterans of America) | ★★★★★ 5/5 | July 6, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"First time ordering and I am super impressed with the quality of the checks. No issues with delivery. I will be ordering again!"
TClinton | ★★★★★ 5/5 | April 9, 2025 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"Affordable and efficient. My go-to business check printer."
Doe | ★★★★★ 5/5 | January 24, 2025 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
Why Choose Checkomatic for QuickBooks Checks That Prevent Check Washing
Six Security Features at Base Price
Chemically sensitive paper, microprinting, UV fluorescent fibers, watermark, security weave, and high-resolution border are all standard on every QuickBooks check order. No security upgrade required. Every check in every order ships with full check washing protection built in.
In-House Manufacturing Since 1997
All QuickBooks checks are manufactured at Checkomatic's own facility in Monroe, NY. No third-party print vendors. Quality control at every stage means the security features perform correctly on every check, not just a sample.
QuickBooks-Compatible in All Three Formats
Voucher (check on top), standard 3-on-page, and wallet formats, all pre-calibrated to QuickBooks' default print templates. The security features are identical across all three formats. See computer checks for business for the full format range.
50 to 70 Percent Below Bank Pricing
Direct in-house manufacturing eliminates the bank's markup. Businesses paying bank pricing for QuickBooks checks often overpay by 50 to 70 percent for the same ABA-compliant, security-featured check stock. See what your business checks say about you for why professional check stock matters beyond fraud prevention.
