If you have a mailbox like me in the United States, chances are fake checks are mailed occasionally to you by lazy scam artists trying to make a dollar. You would be surprised by the number of fake US treasury checks which turn up looking like the real deal. These types of check frauds often result in a massive financial losses for victims. Hence, why I will walk you through how to verify a US treasury check so you can protect yourself from fraud.
Before I begin, do you know the only times you receive a check from US treasury in the mail?
The US treasury will mail you a US treasury check during a tax refund season. This is especially, when you overpay on your taxes. It is the most common reason. Additionally, you may also receive a check from US treasury for social security benefits. Scammers know these reasons, so they will attempt to mail you treasury checks on tax season and social security benefits payment schedule.
Steps To Verify A US Treasury Check
I have attached a copy of what a US treasury check looks like to help me walk you through a step by step guide to spotting fakes. Here is how I verify a US treasury check.
1. Verify US Treasury Check Security Features
- US Treasury Seal: All US Treasury checks have a seal above the left shoulder of Statue of Liberty. The seal will turn reddish, when you apply moisture to its black ink.
- Microprinting: On the back of US treasury checks, the endorsement line contains micro-printed words: “USAUSAUSA”. It is so small they appear to the eyes as a line. To validate a US treasury check, try to make a photocopy of the check. If it is real, the micro-printed words cannot be photocopied. They will appear as a line.
- WaterMark Paper: US treasury checks are watermark papers. If you held the check up to a light, you will see “U.S treasury” on it. You will see it on the front and the back of the check under a light.
- Ultraviolet Overprinting: All US treasury checks should show an ultraviolet printing, when you pass a black light through it. The ultraviolet printing must glow. You should be able to see four lines of the printing. In addition, the left and right ends of the four lines should be bracketed by a United States seal. If you try to photocopy this check, you will not be able to see the UV printing.
Below is what the UV printing should look like, when you pass a black light through a US treasury check.
Finally, you can verify the authenticity of a treasury check with the above security features. If one of them is missing, then your check may be a counterfeit check. Since today’s scam artists are using technology to imitate checks almost to perfection, here is another step to verify a check from US treasury department.
2. Call US Treasury Department
You can call the US treasury department to tell you, if a treasury check is real. This is especially, when you are not expecting a check from them. Here are two direct ways to verify a check with the department.
- The US treasury check verification hotline: You can call the toll-free number: 855-868-0151. Select option 1 to be directed to the right assistance.
- US Department Of the Treasury website: You go to the website for other contact information related to what you are looking for. Here is the US treasury contact us page for assistance related to check verification.
You can also use the above information for reporting an expired federal check.
Be aware of using any contact information on the check or attached with the check. This is to decrease the chances of reaching out to the wrong people. I feel like I need to reiterate this, since these bloody scammers are getting smarter by the day!
3. Take the Check To Your Bank
Banks can help you verify a check. This is especially, when you are struggling to determine its authenticity. All you have to do is take the check to a bank and have a bank representative tell you if the treasury check is real.
Personally, this is what I always do. This is because banks have advance systems of verification to help spot a fake US treasury check. Should your check be a fake one, every bank has a policy for handling bad checks. So, your bank will help your next course of action.
4. Check For Obvious Red Flags
Have you ever received a mail or an email where you are quite sure it is scam?
I have. Sometimes, there are obvious red flags on a fake check mimicking a real one. Here are the common signs of a fake treasury check.
- Grammatical errors: Look for misspellings. Real US treasury checks rarely have grammatical errors due to its vigorous error check process.
- Missing or incorrect seals: Look for incorrect logos, fonts or locations. Pull up a real image of the US treasury and compare every thing to see whether anything is out of place.
- Ridiculous check amount: You and I know a large sum on a US treasury check seems suspicious. Uncle Sam- the US government, is stingy when it comes to giving free money to young working class adults like you and me. I would raise an alarm, if I ever got a $1000 or $5000 check from US treasury department.
- Pressure Words: Scammers are notorious for requesting immediate response to their mails. Be wary of checks asking you do something quickly. I would call the treasury department to confirm.
Any one of these red flags is enough to make you stop, think and act in a way which does not increase the chances of you being a fraud victim. You either call the treasury department or go to your bank to verify inconsistencies on the United States treasury check. If it is obvious the check is fake, then ignore it completely.
Where To Verify A Treasury Check?
The US department of treasury has an online system for verifying treasury checks. It is called the Treasury Check Verification System (TCVS). All it needs from you are the following below:
- Check issuing date: mm/dd/yy
- Symbol: 4-digit numbers
- Serial number: 8-digit numbers
- Check amount
- Routing Transit Number (RTN): 9-digit numbers
Here is what else to note about the US treasury check verification process.
The system will not verify checks more than 13 months old. This is because US treasury checks are valid for only a year. If the system shows no record, it does not mean the check is fake. You can call the US treasury department or go to your bank for further confirmation.
Where Is the Check Number On A US Treasury Check?
You can find the symbol number below the Statue of Liberty. The serial number on a treasury check is the third series of numbers on the bottom of the check. They are eight digits in number. So, what is the RTN on a treasury check?
RTN is a routing transit number. It is a 9-digit number. You can find them on the second series of numbers on the bottom of the check after the symbol number.
Why Verifying A US Treasury Check Is Important
If you ever receive a check from US treasury department, you need to verify it to avoid being a victim of scams. Nowadays, people easily lose money as a result of fake checks. As young working class adults in America, we already struggling to make ends meet. The last thing we want is to lose our hard-earned money to scam artists.
God knows I will throw a fit. You would be angry as well, would you not?
Besides, there are consequences for depositing a bad check. You can read the article to learn how it could negatively impact your relationship with your bank. Or worse, affect you in a legal manner. So, always verify a treasury check is real before you attempt to cash it.
On the whole, you can avoid the hassles of a fake US treasury check when you verify its authenticity. It is one of the ways to protect yourself and your family. I would recommend questioning the legitimacy of every check you receive by mail. You will save yourself from a lot of headaches.
What Is A Certificate Of Deposit? – A Beginner’s Guide