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If you discover a forged, altered, stolen, or fraudulently endorsed check, contact the bank or credit union involved as soon as possible and formally dispute the transaction. Ask what evidence and deadline apply, keep copies of the check and account records, and save a dated record of every conversation. The right institution and legal protections depend on whether you wrote the check, were meant to receive it, and whether it was processed as a paper check or an electronic transfer. No single deadline or reimbursement guarantee applies to every paper-check dispute.
What to do first
- Identify the check and the suspected fraud. Note whether you wrote the check or were supposed to receive it, and whether the forged or changed item is the signature, endorsement, payee, or amount. Save the date and amount of the transaction and the check number if available.
- Contact the relevant bank or credit union promptly. Use its official phone number, secure message channel, or a branch. Say clearly that you believe a check was forged, altered, stolen, or deposited under a false endorsement. Ask the institution to open a fraud dispute and explain its procedure, evidence requirements, and applicable deadline. CFPB guidance for forged endorsements says to contact the institution as quickly as possible: CFPB guidance on a forged endorsement.
- Ask about protecting the account. Ask whether the account, remaining checks, or other credentials should be blocked or replaced. The OCC advises consumers to dispute unauthorized charges and consider asking to close the account and open a new one, but the appropriate action depends on your circumstances: OCC Check Fraud guidance.
- Preserve and submit evidence. Keep copies or images of the front and back of the check if available, the statement showing the transaction, related receipts or payment records, and any correspondence. Submit copies through the bank’s requested secure channel and retain originals. USAGov recommends providing copies of checks, receipts, or other proof when reporting a financial-institution problem: USAGov bank and credit complaints.
- Keep a dated claim record. Write down when you contacted the institution, whom you spoke with, what they requested, and any claim number or promised follow-up. Use the bank’s required dispute method, ask it to confirm receipt, and request its decision and reasons in writing if it denies the claim.
Do not wait for a police or government report before notifying the bank. A report may document the incident, but it does not replace the bank dispute.
Who to contact depends on what happened
Someone forged the endorsement on a check you wrote
Contact your bank or credit union as quickly as you can and dispute the payment. CFPB says consumers are generally not responsible for a fraudulent endorsement if they report within the period set by state law. If the check was processed electronically, additional federal protections may apply. Because state rules and the transaction details matter, ask the institution to identify the deadline that applies to your claim rather than relying on a general time limit: CFPB forged-endorsement guidance.
A check payable to you was lost and someone forged your endorsement
Contact your bank or credit union and tell the person or business that wrote the check. CFPB says the writer might be able to seek reimbursement from their bank and issue you a replacement check, but that outcome is not automatic. Coordinate with both institutions and ask each what it needs: CFPB guidance on a lost check payable to you.
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A check you wrote was stolen and cashed using a forged payee signature
Contact your bank right away and ask it to dispute the payment and restore the money. CFPB says state law generally provides that a consumer is not responsible when someone forges the signature of the person to whom the check was payable; electronic processing may bring additional federal protections. CFPB also says those protections generally do not apply if you signed a blank check and lost it before the thief completed it. Explain exactly what happened and ask the bank how the rules apply to your facts: CFPB guidance on a stolen check you wrote.
The payee or amount on your check was altered
Tell your bank that the check appears to have been changed and identify what differs from the check you issued, such as the payee or amount. Provide any copy, stub, receipt, or other record showing what you intended to pay. Ask the bank to open a dispute and tell you its evidence process and deadline. The rules can depend on state law and on whether the item was processed as a paper check or electronically.
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Paper checks and electronic transfers do not always follow the same rules
Important protections for forged paper checks can depend on state law. A check processed as an electronic fund transfer may also qualify for federal protections, but that does not mean every forged-check dispute is handled as an electronic-transfer claim. Ask the institution how the item was processed and which dispute rules it is applying.
CFPB’s general guidance for unauthorized electronic transactions says an institution generally has ten business days to investigate, subject to additional conditions involving investigation, provisional credit, and resolution. This is general electronic-fund-transfer guidance, not a universal deadline for paper-check fraud: CFPB guidance on unauthorized transactions.
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Escalate if the bank does not resolve your dispute
- Follow up with the bank first. USAGov recommends trying the bank directly, such as through customer service, its website, or a branch manager. Provide copies of relevant records and keep what you send: USAGov complaint guidance.
- Submit a CFPB complaint if the issue remains unresolved. Use the CFPB complaint process for eligible bank and credit matters and include supporting copies as requested. Follow the agency’s current instructions, since complaint procedures can change.
- Report the related crime through a suitable channel. The OCC lists FTC/IdentityTheft.gov, IC3 for internet-related crime, USPIS for mail-related fraud, and local law enforcement as reporting options: OCC reporting guidance. For a fake-check scam, the FTC also identifies the FTC, USPIS, and your state attorney general as reporting routes: FTC fake-check scam guidance.
If you deposited a fake check and sent money onward
A fake-check scam is different from a forged withdrawal from your own account. A deposited check may appear available before the bank discovers that it is fake; if you sent money onward, you may still owe that amount. Contact the bank and the provider you used to send the money as soon as possible, and report the scam through the FTC, USPIS, or your state attorney general. Do not send money from a check unless you know and trust the person or business that gave it to you: FTC guidance on fake-check scams.
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