Here Is Why You Should Never Mail Checks In Montana

I honestly can't remember the last time I wrote a check as I primarily deal with cash or card, however my wife still writes a couple a month.

Montana residents are relying less on checks everyday, but if you are still using checks and mailing them for any reason, the USPS has an urgent warning for you.

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I realize the age groups that are still using checks tend to skew a bit higher and that's why it's so important that they understand this latest targeted scam.

When you are on a fixed income making sure no one is draining your account is vital, and according to this report from CBS News this latest scam is attempting to do just that.

The criminals are using what is called a "arrow keys;" these keys are universal keys that open any of those blue mailboxes you see around town and grab all the potential checks inside.

RELATED: Found A Dryer Sheet In Your Mailbox In Montana? Here’s The Reason

What Happens Once They Have Your Check?

Once the criminal has your check they use a process called "check washing."

If you're wondering what "check washing" here's information from the CBS News article,

Thieves use a technique called "check washing" to scam you out of your money. That involves using chemicals that erase your writing on the check, such as the name of the recipient and the amount of the check. Once the payment is blank, they can fill in new information, including the amount.

In case you're thinking there is little chance of this still happening in 2023, there were 3.2 billion checks wrote in 2022.

That gives crooks plenty of reason to still look for checks in the mail.