10 Check Scam Prevention Tips

10 Check Scam Prevention Tips

In December 2024, the City of Athens, Ohio filed a civil lawsuit to recover $722,000 lost to cyber fraud. The city was defrauded by a phishing scheme that involved a fake email from Pepper Construction.

Uncovering a fraudulent check can take much longer than you’d like, and scam artists are ready and willing to take advantage of this fact. By the time you discover a fake check, the criminal could be long gone, and although the city is taking legal action to try and recover the funds, this is not an ordeal you want to find yourself in!

Take these steps to ensure your business reputation - stay in the green!

10 Check Scam Prevention Tips

1. Don’t respond to unexpected requests for money or personal information. Wait to make a decision until you’ve vetted out the company or contacted them directly to verify the request.

2. Research unknown callers/emailers. Before making a purchase decision, lookup the company or number online to see if other people have reported similar scams.

3. Don’t trust anyone asking for your personal information. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up, even if the name on the caller ID seems legitimate. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.

4. Don’t pay in advance for any invalidated offer – i.e. debt relief, loan, mortgage assistance, job, or prize winning – or you run the risk of losing your money and never seeing the promised goods.

5. Avoid “risky” payment methods, such as prepaid/reloadable debit cards, gift cards, and money wires through services like Western Union or MoneyGram. Honest companies would never require use of these unsecure payment methods, as they are hard to track or reverse.

6. Be wary of “urgent” requests for money. Con artists want you to make decisions in a hurry, and often use urgent language or threats of financial repercussions to motivate a quick decision.

7. Hang up on any recorded sales pitch or robocall, which are illegal and often bogus. Don’t press any number to speak to a representative or to be taken off the list, as that could lead to more calls.

8. Regularly review your accounts for any unauthorized activity and contact your financial institution right away. Catching and reporting these attacks early could give you a leg up on attackers.

9. Don’t deposit checks from unknowns. If a check you deposit turns out to be a fake, you may be responsible for paying back your financial institution.

10. Report suspicious activity to law enforcement or to the Ohio Attorney General's office