Autumn 2019
Community Strong Since 1941
Table of Contents
Visit Our Web Site
Rates
Contact Us
 
 
Share this email:Share on FacebookShare on TwitterForward To Friend
Return to All Articles
Remote Deposit Applications: The Convenience of the Future, Today!
Here’s how the system works. Someone writes you a personal check. You take a picture of the front and back of the check with your smartphone using the app provided by your credit union. The app on your phone then transmits the images to your credit union, which can immediately deposit the check into your account.
 

Everyone who works with checks can stand to benefit from remote deposits. Small businesses can take personal checks without a waiting period, enabling them to take more forms of payment from more people. Busy workers can deposit paychecks without having to race the clock to make it to their institution before closing time. Consumers can quickly and securely transfer funds to their savings.

Institutions also benefit from the efficiencies that are gained by offering by remote deposit. Paper checks have to be scanned and processed by hand, which takes lots of labor hours. Remote deposit takes considerably less time, allowing financial institutions to keep costs lower and pass the savings onto members through better rates and other programs.

The one downside for consumers is the absence of “float.” Typically, it takes checks a day or so to be processed. So, writing a paper check might give a consumer a little time to get the money together and put it in the bank. Because remote deposit works much faster, the “floating” period, the time between when a check is written and when it’s deducted from the account, is much shorter. “Floating” a check like this is illegal and can cost a fortune in fees, fines and penalties. It’s a bad practice even when it is possible.

Concerns over security are largely unfounded. While the remote deposit application does make it possible to deposit the same check twice, unique check identifiers make this process very easy to detect. One Kentucky man attempted to operate such a con with Western Union money orders and managed to defraud Kroger grocery stores of $12,000 before he was caught days later. The money was returned and the perpetrator went to jail. Realistically, the same concerns exist with photocopied paper checks, a problem that barely registers in the minds of most security experts. In fact, data clearinghouse EasCorp estimates that many more of these “double-deposit” incidents are simple accidents than complex frauds.

Conversely, remote deposit may be a way to stop an under-reported style of check fraud known as check kiting. In a kiting scam, a criminal writes a check with insufficient funds from one account, then writes another check from a different account, also one with insufficient funds, to cover the first check. Because paper checks typically take a day or two to process, these “floating” checks are never returned for insufficient funds and the scammer gets away with the balance of the first check. Thanks to the nearly instantaneous return of mobile deposit checks, this kind of fraud is much more difficult, if not impossible.

Worries about data theft or other hacking can also be put to rest. Cellphone data encryption is the same as the encryption for any other internet service. Check images are no more likely to be stolen from a cellphone than they are from a check clearinghouse after a paper transaction. There’s nothing unique about cellphone data that makes it easier to steal.

Taking reasonable precautions with remotely deposited checks will make life considerably easier. If you choose to take advantage of remote deposit, keep the check for a brief period after your remote transaction – no more than seven days. This holding period is to ensure the image was of sufficient quality for every institution in the chain and that there are no issues with processing. Once that period passes, clearly mark the check as deposited and shred it. This could be quite a bit of paperwork if you’re a small business owner who takes a lot of checks. But if you just want to use it for your paycheck, it shouldn’t be too hard to keep up.

Remote deposit isn’t just the future of mobile banking, it’s already here. And it’s an exciting time for it. If you’re one of the 45 million people who take advantage of smartphone banking services, you should be excited about remote deposit, too. It won’t change your life, but it will make a lot of your transactions easier, faster and safer than ever before.

The information contained in this email (the “Content”) is provided for informational and educational purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The Content is not intended to be and does not constitute financial, investment, tax or accounting advice or a solicitation to buy or sell securities. The Content is necessarily general in nature and is not specific to you or anyone else.  YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR OWN INVESTMENT, TAX OR ACCOUNTING ADVISORS BEFORE IMPLEMENTING ANY ADVICE INCLUDED IN THE CONTENT. By viewing or utilizing the Content, you agree that you will not hold DocuMatix, Inc., DocuMatix Our Community Credit Union or their affiliates or agents responsible for loss or damages resulting from the Content.
Copyright 2024 Our Community Credit Union. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent to you by Our Community Credit Union located at 526 West Cedar, Shelton WA 98584.
 
If you no longer wish to receive emails from us please go here.