A lot of the investigation into whether someone has committed check forgery involves the check itself. Police experts can tell the difference between a legitimate check and a fake one. If you are accused of a crime, the appearance of the allegedly fraudulent check or checks can mean the difference between a conviction and a dismissal.
Here are 12 signs that a check is a forgery:
- The check does not have perforated edges
- There is no check number, or the number is very low, such as 1001 – 1500 on a business check or 101 – 400 on a personal check
- The font on the account holder’s name is different than the one for the address
- There are handwritten additions, such as the account holder’s phone number
- There is no address for the customer or bank
- There are suspicious stains that might be the result of erasures or alterations
- The Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) coding is shiny instead of dull, does not match the check number, or the numbers are missing
- The MICR coding does not match the bank district and routing symbol on the check’s upper-right corner
- The payee’s name appears to have been printed on a typewriter. Virtually all printed checks are printed from a computer
- The word “VOID” is visible
- The memo section mentions “payroll,” “load” or “dividends”
- The signature line is blank
Someone accused of forging a check or trying to pass a forged check needs experienced criminal defense help to protect their rights and ensure they receive fair treatment from police, prosecutors and the judge.
