Don’t all checks include the same information on them? Why couldn’t someone make more checks in my name?
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Fraudulent checks are common, and checks can be returned for this reason. Duplicate check deposits are also common for non-fraudulent reasons, such as accidentally remotely depositing the same check twice. This may be caught by safeguards that compare check numbers, images, amounts, and payees, as well as vigilant bank employees.
To attempt to cash a fraudulent check in-person is a bold move that safeguards such as ID-checking, fingerprinting, customer callback, check verification, security cameras, and policies of not cashing checks for non-customers help mitigate. Often, fraudulent checks will be used instead to scam unsuspecting payees into depositing the check and then transferring a portion of the funds to the fraudster by wire. By the time the check is rejected as fraud, the fraudster has cashed out.
One form of this is the remote employment scam. A fraudster poses as an employer, pretends to interview and hire the victim for a remote job (usually with salary and terms too good to be true), then sends them a fake check as their initial paycheck or for the purchase of some job-related supplies. Shortly afterward, they tell the victim the check was written for too much and ask for some or all of the funds back. Fake check goes into victim’s account. Real funds come out and go to the fraudster. In this way, they don’t have to count on fooling the banking system, just the victim.
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