How to Dispose of Old Checks with Best Practice – Old Checks and Checkbooks

Last updated on October 3rd, 2023 at 05:20 am

 

Despite other paper waste, understanding how to dispose of old checks and checkbooks is important and should be done using only acceptable means.

How old checks are recommended to be gotten rid of it’s different from that of non-financial old used paper waste.

Financial documents like checks can’t just be thrown into trash bins since they contain confidential information that can easily be manipulated by the wrong people.

Whether you’re still holding an account in a certain bank or not, there might be used old checks around that you would want to get rid of.

But like said before, checks are treated in a special way when it comes to disposal, for security purposes.

Its best practice to use acceptable means that guarantee the security of the information since a check is a financial document.

Because it’s old and used it might not be of value to you but to people that illegally want to penetrate that bank account it’s of importance.

Always mind where you put those used old checks to ensure they’re safe or else find ways to get rid of them with best practices.

Disposing of old checks using acceptable means is the best way to go, the financial document won’t land in the wrong hands.

What are the best means of disposal, right? If you have questions about that just keep reading as we break it further.

Why Checks Should Be Disposed of With Best Practice?

It’s clearly known that a check is a legal financial document used in processing payments. And it bares private details say the account number, address, name, routing number, and more.

Compared to unused checks, there’s a lot more private information on canceled checks. You then must consider how best to properly get rid of checks such that they don’t land in the wrong hands.

There’s a lot of duplication of information done by hackers using technology to penetrate people’s accounts and probably old checks being target financial documents.

Imagine someone else getting a credit card in my name and withdrawing money from my account without my consent. Mind your old checkbook, one can easily work papers in your name with a fake identity.

Sure, there’re lots of complaints about scammers related to processing online payments which are triggered by poor check disposal practices.

But if you need any help in regard to disposal the right way, using bank services is a better option after all it’s done at no cost to the client.

Methods to Use in Order to Get Rid of Old Checks with Best Practice

1. Burning

What to do with old checkbooks, right? Here you completely get rid of the canceled check, in that, there’s no way someone can temper with the remains.

This method takes no time, it’s at no cost to you at all and scammers are thoroughly out of the equation.

Burning checks is a recommended practice for getting rid of financial documents after all it’s more secure and lawful.

It doesn’t matter where you burn checks from but as long as you ensure it’s safe and thorough. You don’t need to burn a heap of checkbooks at a go and thorough in this case means completely to ashes.

2. Soaking Checks into Liquid

Besides burning, another way of disposing of old bank checks with best practice is soaking in liquid.

This method saves nature from bad gases that come from smoke since checks are made of paper mixed with harmful chemicals. Checks are thoroughly soaked into liquid and it’s a proven method of disposal.

Vinegar and water are poured into a container where old checks ready for disposal are put then you have to wait for the checks to soak for quite some time.

Another item to use in the soaking process is carbonated soda just in case you can’t find vinegar.

The liquid works on paper for a while then it turns into pulp, but how long it takes depends on how effective the liquid is on paper.

Soaking old checks into liquids it’s a proven method by financial institutions used in disposing of financial documents that can easily be taken advantage of by scammers.

3. Shredding

• Using A Motorized Shredder

Shredding from home is the most commonly used method by people wanting to dispose of old checks due to convenience.

You don’t have to look out for a paid service it’s just you and a motorized shredder in case you have plenty of old checks to shred.

Ensure to get a shredder that will cut into fine pieces, there’re many types of shredders in the market but you need something better.

If checks are cut into pieces the right way it will be very hard for anyone to mess up with the pieces looking for financial details.

Don’t use shredders that won’t do things the right way though you would like to save because it may cost you in the long run. And shredders that cut long strips are of a type that is low cost but not safe to use.

Additionally, it’s best practice in the first place to cross out important information on the check and then do the shredding.

• Using Shredding Services

In case you’re busy throughout but have many financial documents like old checks to shred, outsourcing a service provider is a better alternative.

With most stores that deal in office supplies, it’s done at no cost to you unless otherwise.

Carry those old checks to a trusted nearby store to assist you to get rid of them using their very own shredding machine in a short time.

It’s better to keep around when shredding such that your financial documents are not taken advantage of in your absence.

Another better way to do it is using your bank and most of them offer shredding services to their clients at no cost in the most effective way possible.

You need to know when your bank offers the service to its clients such that you can organize those old checks to deliver them for shredding.

I don’t know where you work but some workplaces have commercial shredding services and if you’re an employee there then why not talk to your employer?

• With Scissors

In case other means of disposal are not of your taste, shredding scissors are an alternative. Compared to a shredder, using shredding scissors is cheaper if you’re too mindful of costs.

Though it takes time, they are effective since they have sharp blades which can easily cut paper into fine pieces.

If you have some time off despite a busy schedule, shredding scissors can very well be used in disposing of old checks.

Actually, since you’re to do it manually yourself it’s recommended to cut through vital sections first like account number, name, routing number, and address.

There you’re safely scissor-shredding an old check living with no room for scammers. Ensure that every section of the check is thoroughly scissor-shredded.

Shredding, burning, and soaking are the most commonly used means of disposing of financial documents. But there’re lots of other ways since what would work for me may not work for you.

However, just in case you’re skeptical about what would work best, it’s better to consult with your bank for clear guidance.

Banks will always do you the best they can up to the extent of shredding for you those old checks at no cost for proper disposal.

Despite disposal, it’s better not to do away with registers of used checks and checkbooks for reference purposes for a period of not less than three years. A check register must be kept safe such it can’t easily be accessed by anyone.

So, when it’s time to dispose of old checks after a certain period of time as advised by a professional it’s a proper guide of what’s due or not.

How to Dispose of Electronic Checks?

We’ve talked about the disposal of paper checks previously but not electronic checks, right? But there’re check deposits through mobile apps designed by financial institutions like banks.

They are known as electronic checks and can also be easily tampered with by hackers online.

You need to ensure that you label checks “deposited” or “void” for security purposes as advised by the financial institution.

Hackers take advantage of unlabelled electronic checks in case they are not secured hence cashing them as long as they wish if not noticed.

Another alternative of disposal would be, after you’ve processed the electronic check then destroy it completely. Disposal should be done in the best way possible when it comes to electronic checks too.

Electronic checks nowadays are also stored on online backups due to convenience but this should be done with best practices since they can easily be accessed by hackers.

The most effective way to avoid online hackers is through encrypted digital storage because it strongly limits unauthorized access to information.

Don’t Just Throw Away Old Checks

It doesn’t matter whether you may need the old check-in time to come or not for reference purposes. Just throwing away that used old check or checkbook it’s not good at all.

Some people think that as long as they closed and gave up that old bank account then other items that belonged to the account are not of any good.

You can’t imagine how smart scammers are! They can use that old check to find out your current identity which then is used to get access to your current account.

It’s not a bad idea to keep that old check of a closed account safe till when it’s the right time to dispose of it safely. When you just throw them away it’s putting yourself at risk of identity theft in case check details get into the wrong hands.

Having the time to shred, burn or soak into liquid might be a process for some with a busy schedule but it saves.

Why Are Scammers Interested in Information on A Check?

Whether a check it’s used or not, it contains a lot of information that can easily be misused say account number, address, name, social security number, and more. And when you throw away checks anyhow around because you’re reckless then most likely you could lose it out to scammers.

If you continue to be careless trust me one time one day, this person will land on that old check and then do the needful for his own benefit.

He or she will smartly use the information to create false credit card accounts, use your account to get loans, pass bad checks, and more.

Besides using your information to do all that dirty, your name is spoilt and you’ll need to answer in courts of law in order to clear your name even if the account was closed.

The only way to avoid such issues in advance is by ensuring that whether not used or old checks are kept safe and not just thrown anywhere.

How to Get Creative and Resourceful with Paper Checks?

You don’t need to be all that so creative in order to make good use of waste gotten from paper checks. There’re different ways of importance in which to use shredded paper than just trashing it.

• Shredded old check pieces can be used in multimedia works of art
• Pulp from soaked old check paper can be used to make paper.

Conclusion – How to Dispose of Old Checks

If you’ve been not clear about how to carry out check disposal in the most effective way possible then you had some questions hanging around.

• About disposal best practices?
• Methods to use to get rid of checks
• Dispose of electronic checks?
• Scammers’ interests in a check?
• Creativity and resourcefulness with paper checks?

There are lots of risks involved in doing things the wrong way and of course, need to be addressed in order to keep safe. Scammers are always out there watching and waiting for the reckless to take advantage of them using old checks poorly disposed of.

You don’t need to keep checks for so long given they are unimportant; it’s better to dispose of them or consult a professional for guidance.