Washington telegraph., 1925-01-16

| am giving cOl0 0SureS, not 10 star
tie any one unless it be toward more
extreme care in handling and safe
guarding funds and valuables. 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 pencil
Use pen and ink or. II possible chech
protector.
2 Fill in all blank spaces
3 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 strangers
check without an Endorsement which you
have positively verified
8. Make checks payable 20 "cash" q.
'bearer" cry cc,-,y WIEN you personally pre-
eent tnem al your bank. otherwise use
the name OF the person you intend shan
receive payment.
8. Never place your signature alone as
an Endorsement on checks you intend 10
deposit. Write above or below your sig
nature the words For deposit only"
7. Never sign blank checks II you ex-
pect TO be absent any length OF time open
separate account subject TO check OF
your employee or agent
s. Guard your cancelled vouchers as
you would a valid check. leaving none
Wnere tney may De easily taken.
3. 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
can be duplicated almost as easily as any
0'' ii. Watch Water, ssaR checks which apparently
bear the makers 20. X" or other form
forged than the full signature.
IL. Safeguard your checks as you would
your money, for they represent money.
l3. Deposit slips provide space for your
name, usually upon the upper lines.
Those written Incorrectly should be de-
stroyed as otherwise your signature will
be available for fraudulent use. You can
prevent loss by first writing the detail Of
amounts deposited and then printing
your 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, 100000 in amount, or one hun
sred times the money in circulation.
Banks War on Crooks
The average bank depositor when
queried as TO what his bank does to
protect his deposits, will probably tell
you they are kept in a great vault and
that armed watchmen are employed,
as well as an elaborate and efficient
burglary and robbery alarm system.
He may not know that the $4,000
banks comprising the American Bank.
ers Association have constantly and
conveniently available an army OF
highly trained specialists who wage a
continuous and relentless warfare
against the bank criminal. These
operatives are within easy reach OF
any member bank. Criminals know
that II they attack a member bank
they are attacking one OF the most
powerful and effective protective or
ganizations in existence.
Another medium by which bankers
prevent many financial crimes or
losses is the warnings continually
broadcast from the American Bankers
Association and forty-eight state
bankers associations. These warnings
keep the trap constantly set and carry
out the Associations plan OF crime
prevention as contrasted with detec-
tion.