How should I endorse a check for deposit?

To “endorse” a check means to sign the back of the check before depositing it to a bank account. Endorsing a check properly is crucial for your security.

Banks require customers to endorse a check before depositing. Doing so helps prevent fraud against you, the customer. When it comes to endorsing a check securely, there are a few steps that you should follow to avoid any errors or problems. The process may vary depending on factors such as the type of check or the amount of money involved.

A few key requirements apply to any check submitted for mobile deposit at Old Glory Bank:

1. The information on the front of the check must be correct. The payee name (the person to whom the check is written on the Pay to the Order Of line) must match the name of the person endorsing the check for deposit. Verify that the amount of the check written in the $ box matches the amount written out on the Dollars line. The date on the check must also be accurate - watch out for mistakes in the month or year. The check must also be signed by the person issuing it.
2. The payee on the check must be a signer on the Old Glory Bank account. We cannot accept checks issued to a payee who is not an authorized signer on the account, even if the check is endorsed over to the account owner. For instance, if John Smith is the Old Glory Bank account holder, the check must be written to John Smith. It cannot be deposited to John’s account if it is written to George Smith, even if George has signed the back, unless George is a joint holder on the account.
3. The check must be endorsed, or signed, on the back of the check by the payee (the person to whom the check is written).
   1. The endorsement area on the back of the check is sometimes a small box which says Endorse Here. Be sure to sign the check only in this endorsement area and not below.
   2. If the check is written to more than one payee, such as John and Jane Jones, both recipients must endorse the check. If the check is written to John OR Jane Jones, only one recipient must endorse it. More details below.
4. The endorsement must also include the words, "For mobile deposit at Old Glory Bank" under the signature. For added security, you may also wish to write your account number. This ensures the check cannot be deposited by someone else into another account. Remember, that the person who wrote the check may see your endorsement when a copy of the deposited check is included with their bank statement. If you would rather keep your account number private, only write "For mobile deposit at Old Glory Bank."
5. The endorsement must be written in blue or black ink. Endorsements written in pencil or light ink make it easier for thieves to alter the endorsement and may also not be detected by the scanner in processing the check. 
   
   

Beware of common mistakes when endorsing a check:

1. Misspellings. If the payee name and the endorsing name do not match, your check may be rejected.
2. Multiple Payees. Often, when giving a wedding gift or a gift to a minor child, the check's author will include two names on the Pay to the Order line.
   1. If a check is written to more than one person, using the word AND, such as "John and Jane Jones", both recipients must endorse the check, even if it is being deposited to a joint account.
   2. If the check is written using the words, "John or Jane Jones", only one recipient must endorse the check.
   3. If the check includes a lien-holder, such as an insurance payout which includes a mortgage company as an additional payee - “John and Jane Jones, and ABC Mortgage” - a representative of the mortgage company must also endorse the check before it can be accepted for deposit.
3. Forgetting to write "For Mobile Deposit Only at Old Glory Bank." This line of the endorsement is required for all checks deposited at Old Glory Bank.

Read more details here on how to use Old Glory Bank's mobile deposit feature. 

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