You’ve probably been standing in line at Wal-Mart or a grocery store and had someone in line in front of you pull out a checkbook and take the time to actually write a paper check. For some people, this is no big deal and they will happily continue to wait in line to purchase their products. Others become impatient and become frustrated while this happens in line. Most all of us have the choice between using a debit card (or a credit card) and writing paper checks, yet some people continue to choose the more time-consuming means of paying one’s bill by writing paper checks. If you still continue to write paper checks, it’s time to change your ways.
Beyond the practical reasons that swiping a debit card or credit card is simply a lot quicker transaction, there are a number of security reasons why it makes more sense to not carry a checkbook around and use a credit card instead. If someone were to get a hold of your checkbook, they could write a number of checks in your name and you could potentially be arrested! If someone writes a bad check with your information on it, a store owner can put out a warrant for your arrest. You could then be charged with theft and wind up in jail! You then have a record to deal with!
This is of course, a worst case scenario, but you definitely don’t want someone else to get a hold of your checkbook. Even if someone were to get a hold of one of your cancelled or voided checks, they could easily wash the ink out of it and then write a check to themselves and clean out your bank account.
It’s fine to use checks to pay your monthly mortgage payment and other bills through the mail, but make sure to use a special check-writing pen that prevents the ink from being washed out if someone else gets a hold of your check. Just don’t take a checkbook or check with you out of your home. There’s just too high of a risk in bringing your checks outside of your home.
A debit card or credit card will pay for everything exactly the same way a check would, but it will process up to three times faster than a paper check would. In addition, when you pay with a credit card you can earn rewards points or cash back with your purchases and have the ability to issue a chargeback in the event that the seller misrepresented the item that you purchased. You don’t have those options when you write a check.
If you’re worried about keeping track of everything with a credit or debit card, you can collect the receipts and add them to your check register at the end of the day, or you can go to your bank and they will provide you a small booklet which will take the place of your check register.
If your business still collects checks, find out how Electronic Check Processing can improve you business. Receive all Check Deposits on time, every time with easy Recurring Billing. Mollify customers and get all of your Payments without the hassle.