As a business owner, you already know that you should never send cash in the mail. You also shouldn’t send a check written out to cash. However, understanding the safest way to mail a check as a business is a bigger undertaking than many companies realize at first.
During the pandemic, we have seen more mail fraud. There are also more employees working remotely. If you’re paying vendors or other people, most are now attempting to avoid in-person interactions. Mailing a check makes more sense in today’s world as long as safety remains a priority. So, what are some of the standards for securely writing paper checks as a business owner today?
Always Send High-Security Business Checks
Business checks aren’t printed the same way that personal checks are. They feature higher-level security features than personal ones. These may include features like watermarks, fluorescent fibers, and heat-sensitive ink.
Today, some of the higher-level security standards that a quality check mailing service employs include MICR technology. MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. The checks print using an ink and character recognition system that allows for the checks to be quickly and securely scanned and recognized as real by the bank. This is one further step in preventing check fraud.
Mailing Checks With Customized Templates Helps
One of the key elements in safely mailing a check is making sure the recipient knows the check is from you. Branded checks are good for marketing and logo recognition, but today, they’re also a security standard.
Using customized checks for your business isn’t too difficult to set up. A quality check mailing service can help you customize your checks, possibly by providing easy-to-use templates so you can get the design exactly how you want it.
Mailing a Check With a High-Security Envelope
It may sound trivial, but the envelope you mail your business checks in definitely matters. Check printing and mailing services should take their envelopes seriously. When mailing a personal check, experts recommend you wrap the envelope in an extra sheet of paper. Businesses need to take this a step further.
A business check should be inside of an envelope with black security tint that will prevent the check from being read through the envelope itself. Some of the quality standards you may look for in envelopes for mailing checks include thermochromatic ink, explicit warning bands, and a chemical wash detection box, just to name a few.
The Safest Way to Mail a Check Is With Tracking
You do not want to skip tracking when you’re mailing a business check. While that extra data may seem like more of a hassle, remember that a check mailing service can handle that for you.
With tracking, you can know when your checks have entered the mail system and also when they’re delivered.
In the event that your check becomes lost in the mail, providing tracking information will regain confidence and trust in your business with the recipient. Without that information, the recipient may wonder if you mailed the check at all. With it, they’ll know that this was at the fault of the mail system and be more forgiving of receiving a late payment.
If you hire a thirty party for check printing and mailing services, the tracking information will also give your business peace of mind because you can see that your checks are being properly handled.
When you’re considering what the safest way to mail a check is, always think of tracking information. This data is one of the biggest keys to securing your business’s interests when printing and mailing high-quality checks.
Take Advantage of Check Printing and Mailing Services
You can certainly research how to print and mail business checks on your own. However, taking advantage of the professional firms that can handle things for your businesses is a great step for safety and peace of mind.
A company at the top of its game will already have access to the quality of checks and envelopes you need. They’ll also have the software set up for tracking your mail and keeping your recipients’ financial information safe. Because it’s their job to stay up to date on the latest threats and security standards, your business can rest easier when you’re outsourcing to a professional.
Keep Your Online Data Secure When Mailing Checks
When you’re mailing a check, you may think that this eliminates digital threats. However, that’s not true. You’re going to be responsible for processing payments. This will likely include saving financial information in systems, tracking the checks, and more.
You’ll need to use an encrypted administration system in order to protect the data you have for printing and mailing your business checks. This is another task that a check mailing service can provide for you if you outsource.
Prevent Fraud With Pay Protection Services
What prevents someone from stealing a check in the mail and altering it? What prevents someone from using a stolen account number and cashing a check or “washing” the check so it’s blank?
While many of the security standards for printed business checks provide measures of security against these threats, the next step is to use a pay protection service like Positive Pay.
Positive Pay is a service and process where you coordinate with the issuing bank. Files sent to the issuing bank show them the check information on the mailed payment. The bank can then compare the check’s pending deposit with the data your business provided on the one you mailed.
If there are discrepancies, the bank will be able to stop the check and catch the fraud. Their first step will simply be to put a hold on the payment and check with your business to confirm accuracy. If the payment turns out to be legitimate, the check will still be able to go through. This way, it doesn’t cost your company any extra if the check is actually fine and only stops the process completely when you’ve confirmed something fraudulent has occurred.
Higher Security Standards Save You Time and Money
These higher-level security standards for both printing and then mailing business checks today may sound like more work and cost for your business.
In truth, they will save you money in the long run by preventing fraud. When you have systems in place that catch issues quickly, issues resolve more effectively and save your employees time and frustration. Over the course of a year, the smoother processes and savings add up.
Do these security standards sound like things your business could benefit from? We’d like to hear about your check printing and mailing concerns. To learn more about how outsourcing mailing business checks works, get a free quote on our website.
