For taxpayers who are due refunds but are still reluctant to receive them by direct deposit, it might be time to reconsider. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) statistics showed that paper check fraud schemes using U.S. mail are alive and surging. The latest FinCEN figures available show that from 2020 to 2022, the number of suspicious activity reports related to check fraud nearly doubled to over 680,000. Criminals steal checks from many sources and cash them or use information from stolen mail to exploit victims with other schemes such as credit card fraud. Victims of mail theft check fraud should report thefts by calling the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455. Contact us with any questions. © 2025