Be on high alert for fraudsters who will try to steal your checks from your mailbox or blue US Postal Service (USPS) mailboxes. They edit the amount, the payee name, and steal your funds. Here is what you can do to protect yourself:

• Ensure that we have a valid phone number so that we can contact you. If we suspect fraud on your account, we will contact you immediately.
• If you must send a check, use CSE’s online Bill Pay. The checks that are produced through online Bill Pay are not easily edited, unlike checks you might fill out in ink.
• Never leave checks in your mailbox and be careful about leaving checks in a blue USPS mailbox after they are scheduled to be picked up by the postal service. The safest option is to mail checks in the post office lobby rather than in the blue USPS mailboxes.