When a five- or six-figure check hits your account, it can feel like instant money. In reality, a quiet chain of bank rules, federal regulations, and fraud checks kicks in before you can safely spend ...

Check fraud is not new, and financial plots have been around in the United States for centuries. But what has caused the renewed uptick in check fraud in recent years, and what can be done about it?

Even as fewer people use paper checks, there have been more reports of criminals stealing them from mailboxes and changing the dollar amount and name of the recipient, officials say. Credit...Till ...

Paper checks may seem outdated these days, but they still play an important role in many financial transactions. Whether you’re setting up direct deposit, arranging a wire transfer or keeping records, ...

Exposure of Personal Information: If someone steals your check, they can use the information on it to run scams. Mail Theft: If you mail a check, it can be vulnerable to theft if a mailbox is tampered ...

The check’s not in the mail. Tax filers who opted to get their IRS refunds sent to their homes said their checks never arrived and were allegedly stolen as part of a massive fraud costing millions of ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I share strategies for getting ahead financially and building wealth. A woman sits at her dining room table with laptop and ...