# Stolen, altered, cashed check **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 4, 2026, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405 "2026-11-04T15:29:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2026, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405/1 "2026-11-04T15:29:08Z")
A few months ago someone somehow stole a check for $25 my business had mailed. This person changed the recipient to (presumably) themselves and changed the amount to exactly $5,000 and successfully cashed it (apparently not in person, which I don’t understand.) At first it seemed as though our bank was going to reimburse us but I learned yesterday that they are denying our claim. Unsurprisingly I am unhappy and later today I’ll be speaking with a representative from the bank’s Fraud Investigation department and will try to make a case for reimbursement. What argument should I make? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2026, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405/2 "2026-11-04T15:30:56Z")
First thing I’d do is call the cops and make out a report for fraud. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2026, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405/3 "2026-11-04T15:40:35Z")
If someone intercepted the check after it was mailed and altered it, that’s mail fraud and the Postal Inspection Service should be notified. They have considerably more teeth than the local police department in these matters. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2026, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405/4 "2026-11-04T16:26:47Z")
Moved to IMHO ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2026, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405/5 "2026-11-04T17:38:10Z")
A year ago someone altered another check to put our routing and account number on it, and cashed it at a check cashing store. It was just under $100. Our bank reimbursed us, no problem, and said that the reason the amount was so small was that these stores didn’t check much for small amounts. I don’t know if the bank fraud department contacted the police. I doubt it though the store should have film of the fraudster. We had no problem because it was an obvious fraud, but your case might be tougher. Definitely contact the police and the postal authorities. When I worked at the post office one summer they were very serious about mail fraud. ---
**Author:** ![billy-jack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405/6 "2026-11-05T14:28:46Z")
I’ve been tempted to get a pen with ink that is very difficult to wash out of a check. See [Best Security Pens for Check Writing - 2026 Reviews - Truth in American Education](https://truthinamericaneducation.com/best-security-pens-for-check-writing/) for examples. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405/7 "2026-11-05T14:35:13Z")
I pay my bills through the bank’s bill payment service. For most companies, this results in an electronic funds transfer to the company but for those few where this is not possible, the bank sends a printed paper check. I think these are not easily altered. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405/8 "2026-11-05T17:34:25Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > For most companies, this results in an electronic funds transfer to the company but for those few where this is not possible, the bank sends a printed paper check. I still shake my head at how ass-backward the US banking system is. Out of curiosity, is the paper check issued on your account or does the bank transfer the funds to an internal account and issue the check on that account? ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405/9 "2026-11-05T18:19:37Z")
I seldom write checks now ( until last week I hadn’t for two years) and many businesses here no longer take them. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stolen-altered-cashed-check/1034405/10 "2026-11-05T18:22:04Z")
I’ve never seen what sort of check the bank sends out so I don’t know if it’s drawn on my account or is something like a cashier’s check. And regarding how “ass-backward the US banking system is,” remember that it’s not been very long (perhaps thirty years?) that interstate banks were a thing. Prior to that, banks really only existed in each state. Plus there have always been a huge number of banks, unlike some countries like Canada with a much smaller number. Less than a year ago, the Federal Reserve started a [request for comments](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/09/2025-22272/request-for-information-and-comment-on-the-future-of-the-federal-reserve-banks-check-services) process on the future of the check services system. They note a decline in the number of checks processed, the increase in alternative electronic payments and fraud associated with paper checks, as mentioned in the OP of this thread.