Check Washing

Keeping your personal paperwork private is very important.

Most of identity thefts occur because of thieves going through your trash. Another trick is checking your mailbox to find outgoing checks that you may write to pay your bills.

Checks can be stolen and then “washed”. The payment amount and payee can be changed and a check with your own signature can be cashed for whatever amount the thief chooses. Of course, this is very worrisome to anyone who pays their bills by check and doesn’t take them to the post office.

There is one of the simple remedies that can help you avoid becoming a victim of this crime:

Frank W. Abagnale, a Secure Document Expert and reformed identity theft thief, recommended the use of Uni-ball 207 gel pens for writing checks. Mr. Abagnale was the subject of the movie Catch Me If You Can, which is about a thief and imposter who is really, really good at what he does.

On their package, the manufacturer states that “Many Uni-ball pens , such as the Uni-ball 207, use specially formulated inks that contain color pigments that are absorbed into the check’s paper fibers, trapping it from check washing.”

On his web-site, Mr. Abagnale states that being caught and convicted of identity theft is so rare that prevention is the very best course.

Do any of the readers have experience with these pens or ID theft?