Apr 23, 2026
For many people — especially younger people — checks have dropped to the wayside as payment options. But almost half of consumers still used checks in 2024, according to the Federal Reserve (1). And more sophisticated fraud techniques mean that check fraud has actually gotten worse since 2022, even if check usage has remained fairly flat (2).
One Houston woman recently lost $24,000 (3) because of check washing, where fraudsters use chemicals to remove the payee's name from a stolen check and replace it with their own (4). But even if you don't write checks that large, a new form of check fraud called check cooking would allow criminals to pull potentially infinite money from your account with just one check.
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Here's what to know about this new form of check fraud, as well as how you can protect yourself against it.
What is check cooking?
Check cooking is a form of check fraud where criminals get ahold of one of your banking information or checks, then use that information to make multiple check copies that they can then cash (5). Check washing is generally a physical process, while check cooking is a digital one — bad actors only need a picture of your check to cook it.
Even if you haven't experienced check fraud yet, that doesn't mean you're safe. In 2021, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (6) received over 350,000 suspicious activity reports about potential check fraud. In 2022, that number had increased to over 680,000. As check-cooking tools become better and more accessible, check fraud numbers go up.
One major way check cookers get access to checks is mail theft; if you put a check in your mailbox or a drop-off box, thieves can steal it and make copies before the check gets to where it's going (6). Once they have a digital copy of your check, they can sell it to other bad actors to make copies in turn.
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How to keep your money safe
The best way to avoid check fraud is to use electronic forms of payment instead, especially if you'd have to send a check through the mail. But if that's not an option, there are still some things you can do to mitigate your risk.
If you're mailing a check, make sure to drop your check off as close as possible to when it will be picked up by your mailperson. That won't guarantee that your check stays safe, but it reduces the amount of time a third party has to steal it.
If you run a business that uses checks, you can ask your bank whether they offer positive pay services. If you use positive pay, your bank will compare any cashed checks with a list of authorized checks you provide and alert you if an unauthorized payment comes up (7).
No matter what type of account you have, monitor it regularly and keep an eye out for unauthorized transactions. You generally have up to 30 days to report possible fraud to your bank, although it differs depending on where you live (8). If you report fraud before that time is up, you'll likely get all your money back.
You should also be careful with your bank information whether you're sending a check or not. Make sure to shred any documents that have your banking info on them before you throw them away, and don't share banking details with someone unless you're sure they're trustworthy.
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
Federal Reserve Financial Services (1); Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (2),(6); KHOU (3); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (4); CBS News (5); Washington State Auditor's Office (7); HelpWithMyBank.gov (8)
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Kit Pulliam is a DC-based financial journalist with over five years of experience writing, editing, and fact-checking financial content. They've covered a wide variety of financial topics, including banking, taxes, budgeting, investing, politics, the economy, and government policy.
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