[Cryptography] Paper check security

[John Levine]

[ not very much about crypto ]

>I think most consumers in the U.S. get their checks from check printing firms and I believe they generally include standard security features ...

Sure, but a check you print on your inkjet is just as valid.  Since
everything is scanned optically, banks don't even care about magnetic
ink for the numbers at the bottom any more.

>> The real security in checks is that they can be repudiated, ...

>That assumes consumers review their bank statements regularly. I suspect few do.

I agree.  So what?  If it's not important enough to you to see whether
crooks are writing bogus checks on your account, why is that anyone's
problem but yours?

>I'd at least like to see a system where I get an e-mail every
>time one of my checks clear.

All my banks have online access to statements updated daily.  That
should be straightforward to script.

R's,
John