Still sending checks in the mail? It’s time to stop.

Every time you send a paper check in the mail, consumer advocates say, you’re putting your bank account at risk.

Check fraud is rising, even as the number of checks in circulation is declining. In 2025, federal data shows, Americans lost more money to check fraud than to debit card or gift card scams.

Consumers are writing fewer checks these days, but the amounts are larger, and thieves know it.

“Criminals know that when they see a check in the mail, it’s less likely to be a $10 check and more likely to be a $10,000 check,” said Scott Anchin, senior vice president of strategic initiatives and policy at the Independent Community Bankers of America.

Paper checks used to be everywhere. By 2024, however, they represented just 3% of all payments in the United States, according to the Federal Reserve.

Consumers used to write checks to pay bills, buy groceries and re-up at the gym. Today, people often write checks for larger one-time transactions, such as paying a contractor or a tax bill.

Larger checks mean higher stakes for thieves. Check fraud has been around for ages, but modern tech gives fraudsters new and more powerful tools.

“Twenty years ago…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/money/