My bank was sold to another bank early in the year and we received new account numbers and new checks. Somehow, somebody used an old account number and created a way to use electronic checks or home-brew paper checks and went on a spending spree through little towns 100 miles South of us at places like "Home Depot" and "Sheets" to the tune of $3,500. We won't be out the money, the vendors are. I hope they have video and/or DL info. and will go after this guy. One of the bank guys said that people use phone cameras to capture checks you write at stores and credit cards. I wouldn't doubt that scanners exist that can pull information off of magnetic strips on credit cards while still in your wallet! Or, read the magnetic ink on checks. I do use a company credit card but it's a separate account and we only transfer money into the account for a particular purchase and we never use checks for local vendors. The payroll is a completely different account too. I can't figure out how they got the information or a company check to build the scam on.
I sure can't afford a hit like that and thank God my bank is on the ball. I'm just starting to see this recession hit my product line with Chinese imports are targeting products that I thought were safe from them. My lawyer says it's impossible to fight patent infringement by the Chinese, I just LOVE my government! I thought that niche was way too small to attract any attention and the technology is a bitch to reinvent the wheel. So much for early retirement! Oh well, back-burner projects have been promoted and I get to build new machinery and make new products! Two of which will use PLCs, servos, steppers and all sorts of new-to-me stuff.
Be vigilant! People ARE going to find new scams.