5 Ways to Stop Bad Checks

Bad checks are a part of life, but they don't have to be a part of YOUR life. Reducing bad checks and the expenses that go with them starts with knowing what to look for on every check that you receive.

Are you fed up with rising losses due to bad checks? So was Queen Mason, President of Red Triangle Enterprises, Inc. "When I started my publishing company, the first order I received was paid for with a bad check!" she recalls. "When

that check bounced, it was like a bad omen..."

What had at first seemed like a bad omen turned into a mission for Queen, author of "Stop Bad Checks," a new guide for small businesses. She offers the following tips on how to reduce bad checks and the expenses that go with them:

1. Is the check signed? It isn't against the law to give someone an unsigned check, but an unsigned check isn't worth the paper it's written on.

2. Is the check dated? If not, ask the check writer to put the current date on the check or write it in yourself. Never deposit a check without a date on it.

3. Does the bank's name and address appear on the check? If the name and address (or city and state) of the issuing bank doesn't appear on the check, suspect fraud. (The exception is computer-generated checks.)

4. Is the check backdated? Most banks won't honor a check that is more than six months old.

5. Does the check have at least one perforated edge? If not, the check could be counterfeit. All checks should have at least one perforated edge.

For more information on how to reduce bad checks and the expenses that go with them, write Red Triangle Enterprises, Inc., 39040 Hubbard St., Palmdale, CA 93551 or visit http://www.stopbadchecks.com today.