Checkbook Security

6 Responses to “Checkbook Security”

1. 1
   3 things about money Says:
   October 25th, 2006 at 10:35 am

   In Massachusetts until very recently they used your social security number as a driver’s lisense number…another Very Bad Idea. Thanks for the reminder about identity theft!

2. 2
   GaryP Says:
   October 29th, 2006 at 3:09 am

   Any retail store I go to requires my driver’s license number on the check. If it is not printed on the check then they ask for your license and then handcopy it down – a very slow process.

   So, my driver’s license is going to be on most of my checks whether I add it myself or wait even longer in line while the clerk does it.

   – Oh and to make it worse — in Washington State your birthdate is coded into your driver’s license number!

3. 3
   WearyTraveler Says:
   October 29th, 2006 at 11:33 am

   I was in the Marine Corps for 20 years. I did most of my shopping near or on base. The PX, commissary as well as any on base check acceptors required the sponsor’s SSN as well as unit designation be on the checks. So – to make things smoother and quicker, I (as did most of the military of that time) had checks preprinted with our SSNs. I’ve since learned not to do that, but I’m sure that there are lots of folks that want to save time (at the expense of security) and have their SSNs or driver’s license numbers preprinted.

4. 4
   jess Says:
   October 29th, 2007 at 6:43 pm

   All we currently have on our checks are our initials (not full names) and our city/state. We don’t put anything else on there as a security measure.

5. 5
   Personal Checks Unlimited Says:
   January 31st, 2008 at 2:15 pm

   As Jess has pointed out, don’t put anything on your checks that isn’t absolutely necessary. If you want to put more than your initials at least abbreviate your first name; J. Doe for example. This will prevent a potential thief from knowing your first name and determining whether you are male or female. When paying your bills only put the last four digits of your credit card number on your checks, the card company knows the rest. Also, do not put your driver’s license number or your phone number on your checks.

6. 6
   Funny about Money Says:
   February 12th, 2008 at 9:45 pm

   How can you stop people from putting your driver’s license number on a check? It’s that or they won’t accept payment by check.

   I believe it’s against the law in some states to demand a credit card as check-cashing ID. When a clerk asks for a credit card, I just say I don’t have a card with me.

   I put a fake telephone number on my checks, but hadn’t thought of having initials instead full name printed. Good idea!

   If you can print a phony telephone number on checks, what’s to stop you from printing a fake driver’s license number? A merchant isn’t a court of law–there’s no legislation that says the data on a check has to be truthful, as long as you sign your own name on a check drawn on an account in your own name. Personally, I am so sick of people demanding information that’s none of their business, I just make up answers, with no ill effect.

   After a Visa card theft that was obviously an inside job (I had written a letter to Visa’s customer service under the name I use for business, which is different from the ungainly legal name I use to sign checks; the only connection, anywhere, between the business name and my credit card number appeared on that letter…and lo! on the forged invoices!), I never, ever put my credit card account number on correspondence or on a check written to pay a credit card bill.