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CODY POLICE DEPARTMENT 1402 River View Drive Cody WY 82414 Crime Prevention Tips for Merchants When accepting credit cards follow these guidelines to help prevent fraud: Compare signature on card to signed sales slip. Examine signature panel, embossing and hologram for alterations or erasures. When in doubt, ask for a photo ID. Check expiration date. Sales printout should match account number and card expiration date. Call issuing credit card company to verify authenticity of the credit card. If you suspect fraud, try to hold onto the card. If the card is lost, stolen or fraudulent, notify Police immediately by calling 527-8700. If a crime is in progress, dial 911. Protect Yourself When Accepting Checks, Money Orders, Travelers Checks and Credit Cards Phone:527-8700 Fax: 527-8722 Homepage: http://www.cityofcody.com/cpd/ Credit Card Acceptance Tips Cody Police Department Information provided courtesy of: ---PAGE BREAK--- To help prevent returned checks, follow these fraud-prevention tips from experts such as the National Crime Prevention Council and the National Check Fraud Center: Always ask to see the check writer’s driver’s license or identification card. Compare the signature and the address on the card with the information on the check. A DMV issued photo ID is best. Ask the purchaser to sign the check in your presence and compare it with the signature on the identification. Never accept a double-endorsed check, which is a check made out to someone else, who then supposedly signs it over to the person who submits it as his or her payment for purchase. Never accept payroll checks Never accept counter-type checks where a person fills in the bank and the account number. Out of state or International checks. Watch for checks with low numbers. Nine out of ten bad checks bear numbers from 101 to 499, which usually indicates a new account. Money Orders and Travelers Checks Look for apparent alterations in the check. For example, erasures, changes in the handwriting, color of ink or background picture. This could mean it is a forgery. Don’t accept pre-dated or post-dated checks. The funds may not be available in the account when you try to deposit it. Compare the last three or four digits of the Federal Reserve number in the right -hand corner of the check with the first three or four digits of the routing and transit numbers on the bottom left of the check. They should match. Establish a waiting period for refunds. Make certain your customer’s check clears before refunding the money. Make sure each check includes: Date Payee’s Name Maker’s Name Bank Drawn on Bank Account Number Protect Yourself: Know the person cashing the check. Have the person accepting the check initial it and write the ID accepted on the face of the check. As with cashing checks, asking for photo ID and comparing signatures are important steps to follow when accepting money orders and travelers checks also. Features to watch for when accepting U.S. Postal Money Orders are: Security Thread A micro fiber security strip will reveal the letters USPS in alternating directions when held to the light. Watermark If held up to the light, a genuine postal money order displays a watermark of Benjamin Franklin. Features to watch for when accepting Travelers checks: Watermark Image depends on Brand of Travelers Check. Engraved (or intaglio) Printing gives the check a raised texture to the touch. Paper Quality Travelers check paper is 100% cellulose and has the crisp feel of money. Holographic Bands Colors within these bands will appear to change when the check is tilted. Check Acceptance Guidelines