Paper-Based Transaction Services

Manual cheque-clearing relies on teller or back-office visual checks; altered payee names that look “close enough” to original signatures frequently dodge deeper system validation.

• Criminals obtain cashier’s checks, bank drafts, or traveler’s checks under thresholds to avoid triggering additional scrutiny.
• These paper instruments are treated as trustworthy payment methods, allowing easy deposit or redemption at financial institutions.
• Rapid and repeated deposits across multiple branches or regions make tracing their true source more difficult.

• Criminals physically alter paper checks, promissory notes, and similar instruments by changing amounts, payee details, or forging signatures.
• These counterfeit documents are then presented as legitimate to move illicit proceeds undetected through manual clearing channels.

• Offenders exploit the manual clearing processes for physical checks, depositing forged or “washed” checks into accounts and withdrawing credited amounts before discovery.
• The reliance on paper documentation allows tampering with payee details or amounts, enabling fraudulent deposit activities.