How to Tell If a Check Is Fake Before You Deposit

To tell if a check is fake, inspect the paper and printing for the security features real check stock carries, watch for the scam pattern of being asked to deposit a check and send part of the money back, and verify the check by calling the issuing bank at a number you look up yourself. Federal law forces banks to release deposited funds within a few business days, but actually confirming a check with the issuing bank can take weeks.¹ If the check turns out to be counterfeit, your bank reverses the deposit and you owe the full amount plus any fees.

Physical Features to Check by Hand

Legitimate checks are printed on specialized stock built to resist tampering. Running through these features takes less than a minute.

Watermark. Hold the check up to a light. A real watermark is embedded in the paper fibers and shows from both sides. A printed imitation only appears on one side.
Security thread. Look for a thin vertical ribbon running through the paper. It is woven in during manufacturing and can’t be reproduced on a desktop printer.
Microprinting. Examine the signature line and the border with a magnifying glass. What looks like a solid line on a genuine check is actually tiny repeating text, often a phrase like “Authorized Signature.” Photocopied or low-resolution fakes turn that text into a blur or a solid line.
Paper weight. Genuine check stock feels noticeably thicker and stiffer than copy paper. Flimsy or unusually smooth paper is a red flag.
Chemical sensitivity. Real check paper reacts to bleach or ink-removal chemicals by changing color or showing the word “VOID.” A small dab of moisture in a corner should produce some reaction.
Back-of-check notation. Many checks include “Original Document” microprinting near the endorsement area on the back, along with a description of the security features on the front. Missing or mismatched text points to a counterfeit.

The MICR Line at the Bottom

The numbers printed along the bottom of a check use Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. The line has three segments: the nine-digit routing number on the left, the account number in the middle, and the check number on the right. On a genuine check, the MICR ink looks flat and dull and does not reflect light when you tilt the paper. The numbers should also feel slightly raised. If they’re shiny, perfectly smooth, or smear when you rub them with a damp finger, the check was likely printed on a home printer rather than professional check-printing equipment.²

Print and Formatting Red Flags

Even a check with some real features can give itself away in the printing.

Blurry or uneven text. Commercial check printing is crisp. Fuzzy edges, pixelation, or uneven spacing suggest a standard inkjet or laser printer.
Misspellings. An error in the bank’s name, address, or any printed text signals a counterfeit made in a hurry.
Signs of alteration. Different ink colors on the payee or amount lines, visible erasure marks, or white-out residue mean someone changed the check after it was written.
Very low check number. New accounts typically start at 101. A low check number on a large-dollar check from an unfamiliar person isn’t proof of fraud on its own, but it deserves closer inspection.²
Missing or mismatched fractional number. Real checks display a fractional bank number in the upper-right area that corresponds to the routing information. If it’s absent or doesn’t match the routing number in the MICR line, the check may be fabricated.³

Why “Funds Available” Doesn’t Mean the Check Is Good

This is the trap that makes fake checks work. Under federal Regulation CC, your bank must make the first $275 of a check deposit available by the next business day.⁴ For most other checks, the remaining funds must be available within two business days.⁵ Checks deposited at an ATM your bank does not own may take up to five business days.⁶

“Available” is not “verified.” Your balance goes up in a day or two, but confirming the check with the issuing bank can stretch out for weeks. Scammers count on that gap. They pressure you to spend or send money during the window when the funds show in your account but haven’t cleared. When the check bounces, the bank pulls the money back and you bear the loss.

Verify With the Issuing Bank

Calling the bank that issued the check is one of the most reliable steps you can take. Look up the bank’s customer service number through its official website or a trusted directory. Never call the number printed on the check itself. Scammers routinely print fake contact information that routes to an accomplice who will happily confirm the fraudulent check.

When you reach the bank, give them the account number, check number, and exact dollar amount. The bank can typically confirm whether the account exists, whether the check has been authorized, and whether funds are available to cover it. Federal privacy rules limit what the bank can share about the account holder’s finances overall, but those rules include exceptions that let the bank confirm check-related details when a merchant or payee asks.⁷

The Scam Pattern: Deposit and Send Money Back

Fake checks rarely arrive out of nowhere. They come wrapped in a story designed to pressure you into sending money back before the check bounces. The FTC’s rule is blunt: if anyone asks you to deposit a check and send some of the money to someone else, in any form, it is a scam.¹ The common versions:

Overpayment. A buyer, often for something you listed for sale online, sends a check for more than the agreed price, then claims the overpayment was a mistake and asks you to refund the difference by wire, gift card, or payment app.¹
Secret shopper. A check arrives with instructions to deposit it, keep a portion as pay, and “evaluate” a money transfer service by wiring the rest, or buy gift cards and send the numbers.⁸
Car wrap advertising. A text or ad promises hundreds a week to wrap your car with ads. The scammer sends a check and asks you to pay an “installer” by wire, money order, or cryptocurrency. No wrap ever arrives.⁹

A Note on Mobile Deposits

If you deposit a check by phone, remember that the camera cannot see most of the physical features described above. A mobile deposit captures a flat image, so watermarks, paper weight, chemical sensitivity, and the raised texture of MICR ink are all invisible to the scanning software. Treat mobile deposits from unfamiliar senders with extra caution, and verify with the issuing bank before you spend against the balance.

If You Already Deposited a Check You Now Suspect

Contact your bank immediately. Explain that you believe the check may be fraudulent and ask what steps are available. Acting fast can limit the damage, though the bank will still reverse the deposit once the fraud is confirmed. Expect possible overdraft or nonsufficient-funds fees on the reversal, and in more serious cases the bank may close your account. If the reversal leaves a negative balance you don’t repay promptly, the bank may report it to consumer reporting agencies, which can make opening a new deposit account harder later.¹⁰

If you already sent money to the scammer, what you can do depends on how you sent it:¹

Wire transfer. Call the wire service (Western Union at 1-800-325-6000 or MoneyGram at 1-800-666-3947) to report the fraud and request a reversal. Recovery is unlikely but worth trying.
Gift cards. Contact the company that issued the card. If you act quickly, it may be able to freeze the remaining balance.
Money order. Contact the issuer to request a stop payment. If you mailed it through USPS, also call the Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 to try to stop delivery.
Cryptocurrency. Contact the platform and report the transaction as fraudulent. Reversal is rare, but some platforms can freeze the recipient’s account.

Where to Report It

Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.¹¹
U.S. Postal Inspection Service, if the check arrived by mail, at uspis.gov or 1-877-876-2455.¹²
Your state attorney general’s consumer fraud unit.
Your bank, in writing, even if you’ve already spoken with them by phone.

1
Federal Trade Commission. How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Fake Check Scams
2
Cornell University. Spotting Forged Checks
3
Legal Information Institute. 12 CFR Appendix A to Part 229 – Routing Number Guide
4
eCFR. 12 CFR 229.10 – Next-Day Availability
5
eCFR. 12 CFR 229.12 – Availability Schedule
6
Federal Reserve. A Guide to Regulation CC Compliance
7
Federal Reserve. Regulation P: Privacy of Consumer Financial Information FAQ
8
Federal Trade Commission. A Scam Story: Secret Shopping and Fake Checks
9
Federal Trade Commission. How to Avoid Getting Wrapped Up in a Car Wrap Scam
10
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Consumer Financial Protection Circular 2023-02
11
U.S. Department of Justice. Report Fraud
12
United States Postal Inspection Service. Report