51% of check fraud victims had been targeted two or more times

Americans and small businesses are suffering from check fraud, according to a recent Abrigo report. Forty-five percent of respondents report being a victim of financial fraud, and 17% of that group report experiencing check fraud in particular — potentially more than 20 million people.

According to the report, 51% of check fraud victims had been targeted two or more times. The survey also found that small business owners more often were victims of financial fraud than others, with 57% reporting they’ve been targeted. They also dealt with more check fraud too: 60% of small businesses experiencing check fraud reported two or more instances.

While a majority (53%) of respondents believed credit card theft is the most common type of financial fraud and a plurality (43%) said it’s what they fear most, check fraud is actually the bigger liability for banks. This year, check fraud is projected to reach $24 billion globally.

Almost a third of Americans surveyed (31%) also admitted to either not following best practices to avoid check fraud or being unsure whether they do so. And more than half (54%) didn’t know whether their banks used advanced check fraud technologies or said their banks did not use such technologies. Seventy-eight percent wanted to be involved in the validation process, stating that being involved improves their customer experience.

The survey revealed that small businesses have a greater awareness of check fraud technology (66%) than the general population. Small businesses (50%) are also more proactive than the general population (13%) about signing up for educational sessions or workshops offered by financial institutions to raise awareness about check fraud prevention.

Despite technological shifts, using checks persists in America. In addition to 61% of Americans still writing checks each year, 57% send or receive one or more payments by check per month. Respondents used a variety of methods to deposit checks when receiving them, including:

  • 44% depositing checks at a physical bank branch
  • 37% using a mobile banking app to deposit checks remotely
  • 14% depositing checks through an ATM

Read the full report here.

https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/100582-51-of-check-fraud-victims-had-been-targeted-two-or-more-times