By Janet DiFiore, Westchester County District Attorney

Jun. 10, 2015:  In 2014, the Westchester County District Attorney's office created an identity theft unit in response to an exploding number of ID theft, credit card fraud, and check washing complaints. The unit prosecuted and investigated 226 cases, resulting, so far, in 83 felony convictions.

Identity theft and credit card fraud are widely understood, but what is "check washing"? It's the chemical erasing of the handwritten parts of the check you have written.  

Criminals remove the payee portion and the amount. Your signature remains intact. They use solvents such as acetone, brake fluid, and bleach. Once the check is "washed," the payee and/or the amount of the check can be altered. The thief often inflates the amount. Forty-five dollars becomes $645 dollars, as an example.

Tips for minimizing your risk of check washing include:

• Never put outgoing bills in your house mailbox. Avoid placing your mail in street mailboxes. In some cases, thieves have targeted them. It's strongly recommended that you take your outgoing mail to your local post office.

• Minimize the number of checks you write. Your best option is to pay bills online using a secure computer. This minimizes the possibility of your checks being stolen through the mailing process.

• When writing out checks, use a gel ink pen (preferably black) so the ink will permeate the fibers of the check. There are brands that advertise that they are non-erasable.

• Never leave blank spaces on the payee or amount lines. Write large and use XXs to fill in space.

• Shred cleared checks returned along with your bank statements.

• Review your bank statements immediately. You have a limited time frame in which to report fraudulent transactions. When fraud is detected, it is necessary to report it within 30 days (UCC Code 4-406).

• If possible, have your new checks delivered to your bank.

Photo by N. Bower