Patent ID: 8195570

Claim:
A method for processing a check comprising: receiving a check from a check presenter at a transaction device; collecting, at the transaction device, data from the received check and data pertaining to the check presenter; utilizing a computer to assess, based on the collected data, a credit risk of said check presenter; when the credit risk of the check presenter is good as assessed by the computer, accepting said check from said check presenter at the transaction device for electronic processing without obtaining a signature from said check presenter acknowledging notification of an electronic return fee; when the credit risk of the check presenter is not good, as assessed by the computer, accepting the check from said check presenter, at the transaction device, for electronic processing, displaying electronically, at the transaction device, a notification that said check presenter can be charged electronically a fee, if said check is returned, and obtaining, proximate to the point in time when said check is presented, by said check presenter, a signature from said check presenter, at the transaction device, acknowledging notification of said fee; and configuring a computer so as to charge said fee electronically if said check is later returned, when a signature has been obtained from said check presenter.