Cheque security

How to protect yourself from cheque fraud.

Cheques are still a convenient way to pay. They’re safe too, if you follow a few basic rules.

Protecting yourself from cheque fraud

Every year cheque fraud robs hundreds of New Zealanders. Most of the problems occur because a cheque hasn’t been written correctly or because a cheque book has been stolen.

Here are the basic rules to follow, so that you can avoid becoming a cheque fraud statistic:

  • Keep your cheque book in a secure place
  • Don’t sign an incomplete or blank cheque
  • It’s important to ensure the cheque can only be banked or cashed by the person or company it’s intended for. To do this, write the words ‘Not transferrable’ or ‘A/C payee only’ or ‘Account payee only’ within two parallel lines cross across the face of the cheque. Make sure you know the correct payee name
  • You can write the words ‘Not negotiable’ within two parallel lines across the face of the cheque. This means the cheque must be paid into a bank account. A cheque marked 'not negotiable' can be transferred to someone other than the person it is made out to, but it still has to be paid into a bank account
  • When writing the cheque amount in words, begin writing as far possible to the left of the space provided and add the word ‘only’ after the amount. This ensures that other words and figures can’t be added
  • Draw a line through any unused portion of the payee or amount spaces, so that there is no unwritten space
  • If you make an alteration to something you have written, confirm by signing your full signature alongside the alteration
  • If a cheque form or cheque book is stolen or lost, call BNZ immediately on 0800 800 468 or go to any BNZ store
  • If you change your postal address, let us know quickly