The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-11-20
AHEAD OF
The BANK CROOK
Bankers Association Official
Gives Rules to Foil Criminals
and Avoid Loss.
BY JAMES E. BAUM,
MANAGER Protective Department
American Bankers Association


The direct cost Of all crimes in
this country has now reached its
highest peak. Statistics reveal start
ling increases in nearly every type
Of crime during the past ten years.
The total financial loss through the
operations of criminals is estimated
at more than So, 500 100000 for this
year. A few of the items follow:
Embezzlement ..............-$ iaU'oOo ,Ooo
Credit frauds ............. 4Vo'ooo'ooV
Burglary, larceny. and petty - : ooo
Forgery, including worthless
and bogus checkS........ lUU,ou0,UU0
Seaport robberies, piracies
and customs frauds...... ooo0' wy
| Railroad thefts .............. aoo0o'oeo
Stock frauds ........s..... i'too'ooU'ooV
Insurance frauds ............ Lo9o' wy 'oo0
| Arson ou'Ooo'ouu
Miscenaneous ...... rs. 000, geo
| am giving cold figures, not to star
tie any one unless it be toward more
| extreme care in handling and safe
| guarding funds and v~aluables. Right
here let me quote rules to help foil
criminals known as "check passers'
or "scratchers"; they will help you to
avoid serious loss:
1. Never write checks with a pencil
Use pen and ink or. If possible a check
protector.
Q. Fill in all blank spaces.
8. Don't erase. Errors should be cor
rected by writing a new check and de-
stroying those incorrectly written.
4. Never give a blank check to a
stranger and never cash a strangers
check without an Endorsement which you
have positively. verified.
5. Make checks payable to cash" or
bearer" only when you personally pre-
sent them at your bank. Otherwise use
the name of the person you intend shall
receive payment.
6. Never place your signature alone as
an Endorsement on checks you intend to
nature the words Tor deposit only"
Z. Never sign blank checks. If you ex-
pect to be absent any length of time open
a separate account subject to check OF
your employee or agent.
8. Guard your cancelled vouchers as
you would a valid check, leaving none
where they may be easily taken.
8. Keep your check books securely
locked up and be careful how and where.
you sign or exhibit your signature.
10. Beware Of the magic of the word
certified" Ordinary certificatiOn stamps
can be duplicated almost as easily as any
other rubber stamp.
II: Watch checks ks which apparently
2f approval. They are more easily
forged than the full signature.
II. Safeguard your checks as you would
your money, for they represent money.
10. Deposit slips provide space for your
name. usually upon the upper lines.
Those written incorrectly should be de-
stroyed as otherwise your signature will
prevent loss by first writing the detail of
amounts deposited and then printing
Eour account name.
The bankers campaign for every
body to pay by check" has borne
fruit. 1t has been estimated that to-
day more than 95 per cent. of the
business of the U. S. is transacted by
The use of checks or other credit in.
struments. That means about six and
one-half billion checks will be written
by bank depositors in this country
during 1924 and they will total about
$500, 600 900 900 in amount, or one hun
dred times the money in circulation.
Banks War on Crooks
The average bank depositor when
as to what his bank does to
protect his deposits, will probably tell
you they are kept in a great vault and
as well as an elaborate and efficient
burglary and robbery alarm system.
He may not know that the %, 900
banks comprising the American Bank.
srs Association have constantly and
conveniently available an army of
highly trained specialists who wage a
and relentless warfare
the bank criminal. These
operatives are within easy reach OF
my member bank. Criminals know
hat if they attack a member bank
hey are attacking one of the most
and effective protective or
in existence.
Another medium by which bankers
many financial crimes or
osses is the warnings continually |
BROADCAST from the American Bankers
association and ~forty-eight state
associations. These warnings
.eep the trap constantly set and carry
ut the Associations plan of crime
PREVENTION as contrasted with detec.
ion.