Please share this with anyone who still pays bills or sends gifts by check.

In the early days of eBay and shopping online, mailing checks was THE way to pay. A check placed in the mail felt like an accomplishment: seal the envelope, drop it in the blue box, then wait for your order to arrive. And it worked!

While we obviously moved on to faster ways to pay for goods, many people still continue to use checks today out of habit and preference.

In fact, checks are still so widely used that new payment systems like “mobile check”; where a check is written, photographed and uploaded to the payment provider—have grown in popularity primarily as a way for both the store and customer to avoid credit card fees.

Those payment providers do a great job ensuring that your photographed check gets delivered to the store you are ordering from safely and securely.

Physical checks sent snail mail, usually get sent via USPS—a lifeline for rural citizens. Unfortunately though, that lifeline might be a liability.

Authorities in Frederick County, Virginia, say checks worth at least $534,000 have reportedly disappeared after being mailed. Similar reports have surfaced in nearby counties, and officials suspect some checks may be intercepted after they enter the mail system.

The danger is “check washing.” Thieves steal a check, remove the original payee and amount, then rewrite it and cash or deposit it. Sometimes they look for envelopes that clearly appear to contain a payment.

This is not something to panic about—but it is worth taking seriously.

If you must mail a check:

• Avoid leaving outgoing checks in your home mailbox overnight (or a neighborhood drop-box)
• Use electronic payment when it is available and practical (possibly bank wire for large payments)
• Don’t use envelopes that advertise there is a payment inside (and especially semi-transparent envelopes)
• Check your bank account until the payment clears (make sure it went to the RIGHT person)
• Contact your bank immediately if a check is altered, cashed unexpectedly, or never arrives.
• Report suspected mail theft or check washing to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
• Use digital “mobile check” payment services when available.

One important note is: it is important to know where you dropped your check off. Law enforcement will need to know this as it reveals the “chain of custody” and the points where it might have been stolen. For example, if you dropped it off at a neighborhood drop-box, remember the address.

A good rule for small-town life: if you would not leave cash in an envelope where it could sit unnoticed, treat a check the same way.

What if a Check I Mailed Goes Missing?

If a check you mailed never arrives—or clears for the wrong amount or to the wrong person—contact your bank or credit union immediately. Explain that the check may have been stolen or altered, ask what protections apply to the payment, and request copies of any fraudulent or altered checks. Keep a record of the check number, amount, intended recipient, the date and location where it was mailed, and any bank case number. Also contact the intended recipient so they know not to expect the original payment.

Report suspected mail theft or check washing to your local police department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at uspis.gov/report or 1-877-876-2455. Review your bank activity and check images carefully for other suspicious transactions, and monitor your credit report if you believe personal information may have been exposed. The Postal Inspection Service specifically recommends reporting the incident to your bank, local law enforcement, and USPIS. USPIS check-fraud guidance

Share this with a parent, grandparent, neighbor, church group, or anyone who routinely mails payments. A two-minute warning could save someone a long fight to get their money back.

Read the original report and see the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s guidance on check washing.