Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!chinacat!woody
From: woody@chinacat.Unicom.COM (Woody Baker @ Eagle Signal)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.postscript
Subject: Re: Computer Readable Font (for acct numbers on Bank Checks) wanted
Summary: magnetic toner
Message-ID: <1997@chinacat.Unicom.COM>
Date: 10 May 91 03:39:24 GMT
References: <1991May2.191802.2778@beaver.cs.washington.edu>, <gc9rnbG00VQsAKMlxc@andrew.cmu.edu>
Organization: a guest of Unicom Systems Development, Austin
Lines: 34

In article <gc9rnbG00VQsAKMlxc@andrew.cmu.edu>, jj1h+@andrew.cmu.edu (Joseph Jackson) writes:
> Excerpts from netnews.comp.lang.postscript: 2-May-91 Re: Computer
> Readable Font .. Thomas D. Seeba@nas.nasa (989)
> 
> > |> I am just now getting ready to order my next batch of checks for some
> > |> silly amount of money, and realized that I can make them myself in 
> 
> They still use magnetic ink.  My mother once used one of the deposit

There are several firms that sell special toners for the SX and CX engines
that are MICR (the funny characters) magnetic.  You can use these to
create checks that will work legitamately.  A deeper problem, is the
special paper.  Most checks have a non-copy background or other decoration.
Banks get used to seeing these checks.  They might not honor one that is
on plain paper.  Now, true, you can technicaly write a check on anthing.
Toilet paper, paper sacks etc, and it is a legal check.  

This whole subject sort of bothers me, because there are lots of places
now printing payroll checks complete with the signatures with a laser printer.
It seems easy to get one, scan it in, clean the scan up, and print out
any number of legal looking checks.  There have been several cases of this,
and there basicaly is no defense against it, other than special papers.

One could concieve of someone taking one of the generic deposit slips
from the bank (the ones with the account number that causes an
exception, and requires a clerk to key the information in manually,
supplied for those who have forgotten theirs)  copying it, and
printing thier own account number on the bottom.  The placing a
batch back in the bin.  Anyone making a deposit will be depositing to
the criminals' account.  Makes you really nervous.  I won't use one
of the banks generic deposit slips for that reason.

Cheers
Woody