National Database To Fight CheckFraud

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - (02/23/05) -- US Biometrics said it partneringwith banks and other financial institutions to build a nationaldatabase of fingerprints to help stem check fraud. Under thesystem, known as CheckQ, a bank or credit union collects afingerprint sample, along with other personal information, fromnon-customers who come in to cash checks and the fingerprints areused to reference the individual's history for check fraud or otherfinancial crimes, according to Anita Mettille, regional salesmanager for the company. Because the fingerprints are collectedwithout using ink--but by digital imaging--the system is being seenas a companion to the new Check 21 law, which will eventuallyeliminate the use of paper checks. The digital fingerprints haveproven to be acceptable in court, Mettille told The Credit UnionJournal. So far, US Biometrics has enlisted financial institutionsin Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin, California and Utah to thesystem.