• Tweet ^[1]
• Email ^[2]

• Tweet ^[1]
• Email ^[2]

Fifteen years ago, you had two options when it came to paying someone else – cash or personal check. Nowadays, you have a dozen different ways with new methods popping up each year. I, for one, am ecstatic we’re moving away from personal checks. I very rarely use personal checks and it’s usually at the request of the person I’m paying. I’m not a fan of personal checks because personal checks are not secure ^[3].

They have almost all the information someones needs to steal your identity (name, address, bank, bank account number, and your signature). I’m not an identity thief so I don’t even know the full extent of the shenanigans you can pull with just that information… but I imagine you could do some serious damage. The only time I use checks is when I’m paying back a friend for something, like for social sports leagues, and even then it’s only if they want it as a check (they’re doing me the favor, so I’ll pay however they want).

As for taking personal checks, I don’t take personal checks unless it’s from some I know. I have no desire to verify a personal check ^[4] and I definitely don’t want to get dinged the fees for bounced checks.

Do you use personal checks? What’s your feeling towards them?

(Photo: potteryandeverythingelse ^[5])