11 Check Security Features Your Business Needs in 2025

Even with all our modern tech, the risk of check fraud remains real. In 2022, US banks investigated about 680,000 cases of fake checks, almost twice as many as in the previous year. If you run a business, you need to make sure your checks are safe.

At Check Depot, we take your safety seriously, and it shows in every detail of our products. From heat-sensitive ink to pigment-based inks that resist chemical changes—our security features keep your checks safe, preventing forgery, copying, and alterations.

Let's look at all the ways Check Depot keeps your checks safe. We'll explain each security feature and why it matters to you and your business.

What is a Security VOID Pantograph and How Does It Work?

Ever tried to copy a check and seen "VOID" show up on the copy? Don't worry - your check is doing exactly what it should. This smart security trick is called a VOID pantograph, and it's a simple but powerful way to stop check fraud. Let me explain how it helps protect your money.

The VOID pantograph is a hidden design in your check's background. You won't notice it when you look at your check - that's actually the point! The design blends in until someone tries to make a copy. Then something cool happens: the word "VOID" pops up on the copy.

Why does this happen? It's all about how light reflects off the check during copying. The hidden design suddenly shows up when the copier's light hits it. Pretty smart, right? It's like having an invisible guard that only steps in when someone tries to copy your check.

This matters because someone attempting check fraud might initially think copying the check an easy way to go about it. The VOID pantograph stops them right away - they can't even get a usable copy to start their scam.

The VOID pantograph does a lot of work without you even seeing it. It stays invisible when things are normal but jumps into action if someone tries to make a copy. While it's a great security tool, it's just one part of how we keep your checks safe.

How Do Fluorescent Fibers Protect Your Checks?

Fluorescent fibers in check paper are tiny threads mixed into the paper that you can only see under special UV light. When you shine this light on them, they glow!

"But why add something you can't even see?" Good question! That's actually what makes it so useful. Criminals can't copy what they can't see. Special tools are required to see these tiny fibers;  they're mixed right into the paper when it's made. You can't just sprinkle them on later - that's what makes them so hard to fake.

This is useful because banks keep special UV lights at their counters to check for these glowing fibers. If someone tried to print a fake check at home, it wouldn't contain these. So when bank teller shines their UV light on it, nothing would glow. It's a quick way for them to spot real checks from fake ones.

I've helped many customers who were worried about fake checks, and I always feel good telling them about this feature. It's simple but really effective at keeping your money safe.

What Makes a Check's Security Screen So Important?

Take a look at the back of your check - see those words that say "Original Document"? They're not just there for looks. Most people trying to copy checks focus on the obvious stuff - the numbers, names, and signatures. But that light "Original Document" text in the background is actually a little test. When someone tries to copy the check, this faint text gets all fuzzy or disappears completely. Regular office copiers just can't handle it properly. So if a bank sees a check where this background text looks wrong or isn't there, they know to investigate further.

When I first learned about this, I thought "Come on, couldn't someone with an expensive copier just get around this?" But practically speaking, most people trying to copy checks aren't using top-notch equipment. They usually use regular office copiers or home printers - that's the whole point. If someone copies it with a normal copier, the check won't look right.

On its own, it might not seem like much, but it's just one more way we make life harder for anyone with the wrong intentions.

How Does Heat-Sensitive Ink Prove a Check is Real?

Look for the small key icon on the front of our checks. This isn't printed with just any red ink - it's special heat-sensitive ink that fades away when you warm it up. It's a small detail that makes a big difference in stopping fake checks. Anyone can test it, and there's no way for scammers to copy it. 

Bank tellers love it because of its simplicity, they don't need any special tools or training. Just rub the little red key with your finger, and watch what happens. If it doesn't fade when it gets warm, something's not right with the check. No fancy gadgets needed!

Next time your handling your checks, try it out yourself! Give that little red key a gentle rub and watch it disappear and reappear. It's a simple but powerful way we help keep your checks safe.

How Does the Verification Grid Prevent Fraud?

The verification grid is the faded gray pattern on the back of your check where the payee signs. If you photocopy your check, that pattern disappears completely.

Real checks show this grid pattern plain as day, which helps prove nobody has altertered with this area. But when someone makes a copy? The grid disappears. This missing grid lets banks and stores know right away that they're not looking at a real check.

The verification grid may not be as advanced a security feature as our heat-sensitive ink or fluorescent fibers, but it's a quick and simple method that works.

Why Are Pigment-Based Inks Better Than Traditional Inks?

Traditional dye-based inks are very susceptible to "check washing." In the past, it was concerning how simple fraudsters could change check details. Security features were developed to combat this, and special pigment-based ink is one of these tools.

If you're unfamiliar with check washing, it's when someone steals your check and uses chemicals to remove the ink. They can then change the amount or who it's paid to. The scary part? Because it's not a copy, banks might not have spotted these altered checks. Old-style ink was easy to remove with household chemicals like rubbing alcohol.

At Check Depot, our checks are printed with pigment-based ink, which soaks deep into the paper instead of sitting on top. This makes it nearly impossible to remove with chemicals. Plus, our checks show clear signs if someone tries to use chemicals on them (we'll explain this feature next). These two security features create a solid bulwark to protect your checks from washing attempts.

How Does Chemical Protection Paper Keep Your Checks Safe?

Check Depot's chemically reactive paper helps stop fraud before it starts. The security paper we use for our checks is coated with special compounds that react immediately if they come into contact with chemicals. When someone uses chemicals on our checks, they leave a big stain that can't be hidden. The stain shows up as dark brown or black marks. Bank staff know these marks mean someone tried to change the check, making it easy for them to spot.

This security feature has been so successful at preventing check-washing that fraudsters usually don't even try. It just isn't worth their time.

What is Vdot Technology?

Modern color copiers have a special anti-copying chip that prevents people from creating counterfeit money. Check Depot's Vdot technology takes advantage of the same system to protect your checks. When someone tries to copy a check with Vdot, the copier will not let them.

The secret is in tiny dots printed on the check. These dots look just like the patterns found on money—at least to copiers. When a copier sees these dots, it either makes the copy completely black or stops the copying process completely.

Vdot is one of the best ways to keep checks safe. Not every printer has this tech yet, but it's quickly showing up in more places.

How Does Print Lock Protect Your Check Information?

Print Lock is another clear coating applied to check paper at the mill. Once it dries, it helps keep toner firmly stuck to checks.

We already mentioned that we print our checks with pigment-based inks. However, we know most of our customers use standard toner, which makes any sensitive information they print more vulnerable to alteration. Print Lock fixes this by making toner bond more tightly with the paper.

For this to work, you need a laser printer—this coating only works with toner, not ink. If you're using an inkjet printer, that's OK, but you're missing out on this security boost.

Additionally, your printer needs to work well. If it's getting old, it may no longer heat up properly. When customers tell us their print isn't sticking well or rubbing off, it's almost always because their printer isn't heating the way it should. This happens when the heating element (the fuser) starts to wear out. If this happens to your laser printer, you can often purchase a replacement fuser from the manufacturer or online.

What is a True-Foundry Watermark?

True-foundry watermarks are one of the best security features for checks, and they've been protecting documents for hundreds of years.

What makes them special? They're built right into the very fibers of the paper at the mill. Some companies just print fake watermarks to cut costs. But real watermarks are made while the paper is still wet, becoming part of its structure.

You can spot a real watermark by holding it up to light - you'll see soft light and dark spots that printers simply can't copy. On our checks, the watermark is a diamond pattern. And here's a simple test: if you can feel bumps or raised areas, it's probably not a genuine watermark. Real watermarks are smooth because they're woven into the paper itself.

Here's something we love: these watermarks don't just help stop fraud—they also strengthen the paper. Creating different paper thicknesses to produce the watermark improves its strength and durability.

How Does a Warning Band Help Prevent Check Fraud?

Most people don't realize that the warning band on a check is designed to be an active security feature as much as an informational one. If someone tries to copy or scan the check, these bands can become jumbled or disappear altogether.

But that's not all they do. These bands work in three key ways:

1. They list all the security features in your check
2. They serve as a deterrent by warning anyone who might try to change your check that they'll probably fail
3. They help stores and banks quickly verify if your check is authentic

How Can You Protect Your Business Against Check Fraud Today?

When it comes to check security, cutting corners isn't an option. That's why at Check Depot, we have made our checks with numerous advanced security features that go above and beyond bank-recommended standards to protect you and your business from fraud.

Each security feature we mentioned adds a critical layer of protection, but their true strength comes in how they work together. When you combine physical elements like fluorescent fibers and true-foundry watermarks with reactive features like heat-sensitive ink and chemical protection paper, you get a robust check protected against every type of fraud attempt.

Ready to protect your business with high-security checks that don't break the bank? Our US-based team is here to help! Give us a call at 1-800-625-8117 and rest easy knowing your transactions are in good hands.