The Growing Concern of Checks
What is Check Washing?
According to Dictionary.com, to wash stands for applying “water or some other liquid to (something or someone) for the purpose of cleansing” (Dictionary.com). Consequently, according to this definition in this similar context, check washing deals with cleansing or erasing a check of its content so that it can be rewritten in order to change the information on the check or checks. This process is done illegally in order to scam someone of a withdrawal from their account. This fraud first came to light in the very early 1980’s according to the National Check Fraud Center.
Check washing is the removal of inks of checks which is done in a very clean process using relative solvents …show more content…
According to the National Check Fraud Center, a very notable bulk of check fraud is attributable to chemical alterations. Check washing, which is composed of removing or blotting some or even all of the check in order to benefit the law-breaker. Chemical alterations pertain to the use of any of the following chemicals and solvents: acetone, brake fluid, and bleach in order to modify the check.
Of the chemical and solvents used, acetone, is the most widely used according to the National Check Fraud Center. Acetone is an immensely volatile solvent and it is used typically as a dying agent or for hand wipes. However, it was discovered that it may be used to erase a wide variety of inks used on checks unnoticeable to the naked eye. Even though acetone is at the peak of the number of chemicals used this makes it harder to come by. Many criminals now resort to other chemicals; such as Carbon tetrachloride, benzene, and even common household …show more content…
This unfortunate epidemic has caused some to lose their homes, businesses, and hundreds of thousands of dollars. One such case reported in 1998, in three separate counties: Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach, in Florida, made South-Florida history. This case, which was reported by Sun-Sentinel, helped bust one of the most tremendous check washing gangs ever present in this area. According to Learning to Live with Crime, “During a 14-month period, the gang stole the mail of 177 people, separated the checks, sullied them, changed the amounts and assumed fake names to cash them for a total of $650,000 at 27 banks and credit unions” (Wilson, P. 98). These checks went on average from a few hundred dollars to being altered to thousands. Investigators ended up arresting 110 people and being charged with at least two state felonies in the
What is Check Washing?
According to Dictionary.com, to wash stands for applying “water or some other liquid to (something or someone) for the purpose of cleansing” (Dictionary.com). Consequently, according to this definition in this similar context, check washing deals with cleansing or erasing a check of its content so that it can be rewritten in order to change the information on the check or checks. This process is done illegally in order to scam someone of a withdrawal from their account. This fraud first came to light in the very early 1980’s according to the National Check Fraud Center.
Check washing is the removal of inks of checks which is done in a very clean process using relative solvents …show more content…
According to the National Check Fraud Center, a very notable bulk of check fraud is attributable to chemical alterations. Check washing, which is composed of removing or blotting some or even all of the check in order to benefit the law-breaker. Chemical alterations pertain to the use of any of the following chemicals and solvents: acetone, brake fluid, and bleach in order to modify the check.
Of the chemical and solvents used, acetone, is the most widely used according to the National Check Fraud Center. Acetone is an immensely volatile solvent and it is used typically as a dying agent or for hand wipes. However, it was discovered that it may be used to erase a wide variety of inks used on checks unnoticeable to the naked eye. Even though acetone is at the peak of the number of chemicals used this makes it harder to come by. Many criminals now resort to other chemicals; such as Carbon tetrachloride, benzene, and even common household …show more content…
This unfortunate epidemic has caused some to lose their homes, businesses, and hundreds of thousands of dollars. One such case reported in 1998, in three separate counties: Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach, in Florida, made South-Florida history. This case, which was reported by Sun-Sentinel, helped bust one of the most tremendous check washing gangs ever present in this area. According to Learning to Live with Crime, “During a 14-month period, the gang stole the mail of 177 people, separated the checks, sullied them, changed the amounts and assumed fake names to cash them for a total of $650,000 at 27 banks and credit unions” (Wilson, P. 98). These checks went on average from a few hundred dollars to being altered to thousands. Investigators ended up arresting 110 people and being charged with at least two state felonies in the