Check Fraud Victim’s 6-Step Guide for Recovery

Check fraud can be detrimental to your finances. Additionally, this kind of fraud could end up with you coming under scrutiny from law enforcement officials. If you believe that you have been the victim of check fraud, there are various steps that you should take as soon as possible to protect yourself financially and legally.

What Constitutes Check Fraud?

In a nutshell, check fraud is the use of bank drafts to access (usually non-existent) funds in a checking account. The account may be owned by the perpetrator of the check fraud, or the person may be using someone else’s account to access their funds. 

Steps to Recovery

If you have fallen victim to check fraud, the most important thing you can do is to act right away to clear up the situation. These six steps are essential to getting past this unnerving chapter in your life:

1. Compile information needed by the bank, police, and credit bureaus. The information that you provide can be useful in building a case against the fraudster and prosecuting the person for the crime committed. You will likely need to provide basic information about the check, including the check number, where the check was presented, the amount of the check, and other particulars. 
2. Reach out to the account issuer immediately. It is important that you reach out to your financial institution as soon as you realize something is amiss. Your bank will likely give you a new account number, and they may close your account and then reopen it for you with new checks. The bank can also enter electronic information into the check clearing system that indicates that the checks on the now-fraudulent account are worthless. 
3. Get in touch with the Attorney General in your state. 
4. Get in touch with the District Attorney for your local area. 
5. Report check fraud scams to the National Check Fraud Center by dialing 843-571-2143. 
6. Contact all three major credit reporting bureaus, including Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, and ask them to put a fraud alert on your account. This type of alert can prevent future occurrences of identity theft and fraud by halting bad guys’ efforts to open other accounts in your name. 

Document all of the contacts you make in your case, whether it is the AG, DA, or the credit bureau. Having a paper trail that shows your actions to stop the fraudulent activity can be helpful if the finger of suspicion is eventually pointed your way. 

Are You a Victim of Check Fraud?

Billions of dollars in fraudulent checks are passed each year in this country. If you have been the victim of check fraud, you may feel as if you have little to no recourse, but our office is here to help. Reach out to the check fraud attorneys with Sharmin & Sharmin for assistance right away once you uncover a fraudulent transaction. Our dedicated team is ready to stand up for you and help you recover any losses incurred.