OrboGraph

10/12/2025

The barrier to creating counterfeit checks has never been lower.

A recent video shared by Uri Rivner, CEO and Co-Founder of Refine Intelligence, shows just how simple generative AI has made check alteration. He uploads a real check, types in two short prompts to change the amount and the payee, and within seconds the image updates with convincing results. Even the security features are recreated.

What used to take time, skill, and tools like Photoshop can now be done instantly. At our 2025 In-Person Check Fraud Roundtable, James Bi demonstrated how manual editing still works, but it becomes clear that the real shift is speed and scalability. A fraudster can now generate dozens or hundreds of altered checks with almost no effort.

So, the question becomes: How can FIs keep pace when fraudsters have this level of automation at their fingertips?

Today’s blog breaks down the video, compares Photoshop vs Gen AI manipulation, and explains why multi-layered detection is now essential for catching both On-Us and Deposit fraud.

Do you think the industry is fully prepared for what generative AI makes possible? Discuss in the comments.

Read the full post here:

Way back in 2023, we wrote a post about how gen AI will be a major tool for fraudster to create realistic counterfeit checks, noting that "It doesn't...

10/12/2025

If the industry is bracing for more than $35B in check fraud losses for 2025… what does that tell us about where defenses are falling short?

VALID Systems recently shared a bold projection: An estimated $35B+ in losses across the U.S. this year. While official numbers won’t be available for some time, the factors driving this estimate are worth paying attention to.

Fraud isn’t just coming from one direction. Traditional methods are still active, but new tactics are complicating the picture:

- AI-generated handwriting and signatures

- Insider-enabled schemes

- Fraud methods circulating openly on social platforms

It’s the combination of old and new that continues to strain both On-Us and Deposit Fraud detection.

VALID Systems also points to several opportunities for institutions to strengthen defenses. Their recommendations echo what many in the industry are already seeing; that a multi-layered approach gives each check more than one chance to be validated, questioned, or flagged before funds move.

What does this projection signal to you about the state of check fraud today?

Heading into 2026, what will matter most: new tools, better collaboration, or a more disciplined approach to multi-layered detection?

Read the full breakdown in today’s blog post:

Check fraud losses continue to accumulate There are solid recommendations available to fight fraud Effective tools can be leveraged for protection As we near the end of 2025, many are wondering what the total losses will be from check fraud. While concrete numbers are not available, our friends at V...

02/12/2025

TechCrunch recently highlighted research showing that more than half of U.S. consumers have experienced increased fraud attempts.

Furthermore, Featurespace COO Tim Vanderham also noted just how dependent the U.S. still is on paper checks, with 11 billion deposited each year.

73% of banks now view check fraud as a major challenge, and many are investing more heavily in prevention. What stands out, however, is the shift toward treating check fraud as part of broader financial crime, especially as it overlaps with laundering, trafficking, and account-takeover schemes.

AI is becoming central to that effort. Image forensics is improving On-Us detection for stolen or altered checks, while AI-driven deposit fraud detection helps identify fake accounts, drop accounts, and money mule activity earlier in the process.

These trends signal a clear message: the institutions that continue to advance their detection strategies will be better positioned to protect their customers and reduce losses.

Yet, this ongoing trust comes with significant risks: check fraud. It's important for banks to deploy AI technology for both On-Us and Deposit fraud detection.

20/11/2025

The passing of Phyllis Meyerson last month marked a significant loss for the payments industry.

Phyllis spent fifty years shaping the world of payments and check processing, earning the respect of colleagues across the industry through her expertise, leadership and generosity.

Phyllis and co-author David Walker created the eBook Check 21: A Blockbuster Story, which brings the history of Check 21 to life through a personal and engaging narrative.

OrboGraph was privileged to support this project as it evolved into audio and video formats.

The multimedia versions are now available on the Tiller Endeavor website, making this important piece of payments history accessible to a wider audience.

Today’s blog reflects on Phyllis’s impact and provides access to the newly released multimedia story. We invite you to take a moment to revisit her work and the lasting influence she had on our industry.

On October 15, 2025, the payments industry lost one of its icons. Phyllis Meyerson was a 50-year payments and check-processing veteran...

19/11/2025

The payee line has one of the most targeted areas on a check by a fraudster. However, it still doesn’t get the attention it deserves from fraud prevention.

Check washing, digital “check cooking,” and line stuffing make it easy for criminals to alter payee information without disrupting the rest of the check. And, as more deposits move through mRDC and ATMs, these alterations become even harder to identify through traditional review.

Banks are taking a closer look at the payee line and strengthening how they validate it. With tools like OrboGraph’s Anywhere Payee and image forensic analysis, they can catch subtle payee-line changes including spacing, handwriting, and added names that often go unnoticed.

Bringing more awareness to this attack point is essential. Strengthening the payee field closes a long-standing gap that fraudsters continue to prey upon.

Do you think payee-line protection gets enough attention in fraud strategies today?

Explore how financial institutions are reinforcing payee-level defenses in today’s OrboNation blog post.

Fraudsters exploit the payee field to alter checks and avoid detection Techniques include check washing, digital editing, and adding extra payee names Banks can use AI tools to identify alterations and strengthen payee field security While check fraud tactics have drastically evolved over the past d...

05/11/2025

Just two years ago, stolen checks were selling on dark web and Telegram markets at around $150 for personal checks and $250 for business checks.

But, as David Maimon recently highlighted, those same checks are now going for as little as $15, or even less when purchased in bulk.

At first glance, that drop might sound like progress. However, it may point towards a growing problem: Mail theft.

Frank Albergo of the Postal Police Officers Association notes that stolen checks are being taken in massive quantities, flooding the market and turning check fraud into an everyday, large-scale operation.

Others, like Featurespace’s Majid Malek, suggest improved fraud detection tools could be lowering fraudsters’ success rates, and therefore demand.

So, is the falling price a sign of better defenses or simply a reflection of a market saturated with stolen checks?

04/11/2025

Is 90% of check fraud being caught across the banking industry too high of an estimate?

Unfortunately, the data behind it isn’t so clear.

​​​​​​​Can one statistic really represent every bank, every branch, and every region?

Our latest blog takes a closer look at what’s actually happening beneath that figure. Check fraud started to spike around 2017–2018, and since then, detection results have varied dramatically, with factors such as location and number of attempts creating the “urgency” for adoption of advanced fraud technologies.

Discover what the 90% figure really means – and how some banks are already surpassing it – in today’s blog post.

Check fraud attempts remain high Claims of 90% check fraud detection rates across the industry are likely too high Technologies like pattern recognition and machine learning significantly reduce check fraud Check fraud continues to make headlines, but the true impact-and the relative effectiveness o...

29/10/2025

In the recent Milwaukee Business Journal’s Table of Experts, leaders from banking, manufacturing, and commerce shared how businesses can better protect themselves. Lyneen Fischer, VP of Security at North Shore Bank, noted that while check volume has dropped, the value of each check has nearly doubled — making them prime targets for fraudsters.

From Positive Pay with payee match to the dual-sided role of AI, the conversation revealed just how much the fight against check fraud has evolved.

The “Table of Experts” discussion provided expert insights on how business can protect themself from growing check fraud threats.

22/10/2025

Gen Z might be the most tech-savvy generation, but they’re also becoming the most financially vulnerable.

According to Barclays’ latest Scams Bulletin:

-35% of Gen Z would move money for someone they don’t know
-71% aren’t aware they could face criminal charges for mule activity
-48% have been targeted by a job scam or know someone who has
-63% of job scams involve paper checks

As scammers use social media and messaging apps to appear more credible, Gen Z’s financial inexperience makes them easy targets.

Even in a digital-first world, paper checks continue to fuel scams, and catching them early means combining education, awareness, and AI-powered detection.

What do you think: Should financial institutions be doing more to educate younger consumers, or does the real solution start with better technology?

Read the full blog for a closer look at how scammers are exploiting financial inexperience

Gen Z is becoming recognized as a prime fraud target A quarter of Gen Z fraud victims do not report incidents Financial institutions have stepped up educating their customers WebWire’s report on the latest Barclays Scams Bulletin has revealed a worrisome trend among Gen Z: A striking 35% of young ...

22/10/2025

Gen Z might be the most tech-savvy generation, but they’re also becoming the most financially vulnerable.

According to Barclays’ latest Scams Bulletin:

-35% of Gen Z would move money for someone they don’t know
-71% aren’t aware they could face criminal charges for mule activity
-48% have been targeted by a job scam or know someone who has
-63% of job scams involve paper checks

As scammers use social media and messaging apps to appear more credible, Gen Z’s financial inexperience makes them easy targets.

Even in a digital-first world, paper checks continue to fuel scams, and catching them early means combining education, awareness, and AI-powered detection.

What do you think: Should financial institutions be doing more to educate younger consumers, or does the real solution start with better technology?

Read the full blog for a closer look at how scammers are exploiting financial inexperience

https://orbograph.com/barclays-report-35-of-gen-z-unintentionally-become-money-mules/?utm_source=social+media&utm_medium=linkedin&utm_campaign=Gen+Z+Mules&utm_id=fraudblog

21/10/2025

What happens when every type of fraud begins to feed the next?

In 2025, financial crime in America has become an ecosystem wherein a stolen check can spark an identity theft case, which leads to a bank account takeover, which ends in a full-scale scam.

According to Dr. David Maimon’s analysis of FinCEN data, reports of check fraud, account takeovers, and identity theft have surged to record levels. But what’s even more concerning is how these crimes now overlap, creating a cycle that’s harder than ever to break.

For financial institutions, fighting fraud in isolation is no longer enough. The shift toward a FRAML (Fraud + AML) approach is giving banks a wider lens, connecting patterns, detecting linked crimes, and uncovering larger operations hidden beneath individual incidents.

Read more about how this “web of crime” is reshaping fraud prevention in today’s blog post.

Financial crime data for 2025 is sobering These crimes are interconnected A FRAML approach to fraud strategies is recommended As digital and financial environments continue to evolve, so do the fraud threats that face American consumers. In a recent post from Forbes, Dr. David Maimon paints a soberi...

16/10/2025

The U.S. Treasury Department has officially eliminated paper check disbursements… well, most of them.

To assist the estimated 10M individuals who will need to transition to direct deposit, the U.S. Treasury Department has published a new Resources Page to educate recipients about the phaseout, offering support in shifting to electronic payments.

How will the elimination of U.S. Treasury paper disbursements affect financial institutions? Very minimally, as U.S. Treasury checks only account for 36M (according to the Federal Reserve data) of the 9-10B paper checks written each year.

U.S. Treasury Department has officially “eliminated” paper check disbursements — with many exceptions New resources page published by the U.S. Treasury to assist in transition How will this impact inancial institutions? As many are aware, as of September 30, 2025 the US Government has official...