Uni-ball® 207™ is teaming
up with Frank W. Abagnale, one of the most respected
experts on identity theft and the person whose life
is chronicled in the blockbuster movie “Catch Me If
You Can,” to help individuals protect themselves
from a common form of check fraud.
An epidemic of
something called “check washing” has given rise to
numerous law enforcement task forces, including the
FBI, Secret Service, U.S. Postal Service and local
and federal authorities. According to the National
Check Fraud Center, some $815 million is lost each
year in the United States to this type of fraud.
Check washing is
a process where checks are stolen from the mail or
by other means and the ink is erased using common
household products. The thieves will then rewrite
the check payable to themselves, in the amount of
their choosing.
Many uni-ball gel
pens use inks that contain color pigments, which are
absorbed in to a check’s paper fibers. When an
individual tries to “wash” the information written
on the check, the ink is in effect trapped.
Abagnale says
prevention is the most effective strategy in
counteracting check washing. He advocates using
certain uni-ball gel pens to protect against this
escalating check washing threat, singling out the
uni-ball® 207™ as his
favorite in deterring the act.
• The Nilson
Report estimates check fraud losses to be about $20
billion annually.
• The Federal
Trade Commission reported nearly 9.9 million
Americans have been victims of identity theft,
costing consumers $5 billion and banks and
businesses $48 billion each year.
• The National
Check Fraud Center estimates check washing, a
specific type of check fraud, costs Americans $815
million each year.
• On average, it
costs a victim $1,173 and 175 man-hours to get their
credit report straightened out|
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