WHAT IS SECURITY PAPER?

Security Paper is paper that has been "engineered and manufactured" that incorporates physical features imbedded into the paper itself to resist the document forgery and the copying of negotiable documents when these documents are printed on MICR Laser printers. The paper is fully compliant with the physical paper standards of weight, grain direction, moisture content etc. for MICR Laser printers but has additional "chemical and fiber fraud resistant features" built into the paper during the manufacturing process.

Plain laser printer paper meets the physical standards of the Laser printer but does not possess any of the capabilities of fiber, chemical, or external processes that make "security paper" fraud resistant and tamper proof.

Security paper provides assistance to a financial institutions "back office processing" of checks by making check fraud tampering attempts physically obvious to the institutions check review personnel and prompts the reviewer to look at the document more closely for any form of tampering prior to the check being cleared for payment by the institution. The features themselves cannot be readily copied or reproduced via conventional reproduction processes. Security papers are a major preventative in stopping forged checks from being cleared and paid against business accounts.

Why Security Paper?

The reason for security paper has a $12,000,000,000 answer. That is the dollar amount of attempted check fraud occurring in the United States in 2006 (ABA Survey Data). With today's laser printer technology, over 99.6% of checks can be readily reproduced on laser printers with devastating results to American businesses.

Computers, scanners and high resolution color copiers easily duplicate original documents. Desktop laser printers produce authentic documents of all types, checks, coupons, certificates and the like. And the problem is growing.

Document fraud costs everyone millions of dollars, every day. Blank "laser stock paper" by itself offers no protection to a check issue process. Security papers have "engineered features," embedded in the paper itself, of both a fiber and chemical reactive substance to thwart and inhibit check fraud attempts on these document forms.

What are some features of Security Paper and what is the importance of these features?

Paper Composition
Major printer manufacturers state technical requirements that need to be included in the selection of physical papers that are to be processed on laser printers and on MICR laser printers to ensure optimum printing on these systems. ACOM has a published "paper specification" available that identifies the suggested characteristics of the paper itself for normal laser printing.

Secure-A-Check Protective Security Features

Copier VOID Feature
The safety paper check contains an intricate design feature that produces a series of VOID's if the checks are processed through a single or full color copier. This feature is also available in Spanish.

Signature Area
The signature area is printed in a different pantograph background than is the check. A warning clause is also printed stating that the signature has a colored background.

Rainbow Prismatic Versions
The pantographic check design is printed with gradient colors. These versions are the most difficult to photocopy and include our copier/VOID security feature.

ABA Check Endorsement Clause
The standard American Banking Association (ABA) endorsement clause is printed on the back of the check with a warning clause indicating the face of the check contains a colored background. The check's pantographic background is also part of the endorsement clause.

Sequential Numbering
The back of the check is sequentially numbered in red ink. This feature makes it more difficult to create a fraudulent check. It also gives the bank and the check-user a control number with which to work.

Micro Printing
The line borders on the check and the endorsement are micro-printed with tiny padlocks and the words SECURE-A-CHECK. These can only be seen when magnified. Micro-printing cannot be photocopied or scanned as the typestyle is too small. This security feature is also used on American currency.

Watermark Certification Seal
An EPA approved watermark certification seal that cannot be photocopied is on the back of every check with appropriate warning clauses printed on the front and back of the check.

Real Fourdrainer Watermark
A watermark which is in the paper itself and can be seen when held up to the light.

Toner Lock
Paper treatment that makes it difficult to remove toner from laser printed documents.

Chemical Stain
Multilingual VOID (in English, Spanish or French) that appears on the check when activated by ink eradicator.

Fluorescent Fibers
Printing that appears only under ultraviolet light.

Visible Fibers
These are fibers that you can see throughout the check stock.

Is Security Paper Expensive?

Security paper is inexpensive. And when security paper is used for MICR Laser check production, the use of the security paper will often offset a significant amount of the investment of a MICR Laser check software system by itself.

Dependent upon the volume utilized, blank security check stock paper can run from between .03 per sheet through .05 per sheet. Comparable "preprinted MICR check stock" can range most generally from .10 on the low side to an average of over .25 per form.

Security paper does not require a security controlled access for stocking purposes as does MICR impact printer check stock, nor does it have a limited life cycle if new accounts are added or deleted, or new banks added or changed.

It is risky, expensive and foolhardy not to utilize security paper in a MICR check issuance process. Use of security papers have been proven to reduce the occasions of check fraud attempts. These results have been documented and have been published in national banking magazines. The results have also been formally presented at check fraud and banking conferences in the United States.

ACOM is a reliable source for laser checks and forms. All of our products have been thoroughly tested and are fully guaranteed to function properly on your MICR laser printers. The features listed above along with a "Positive Pay" check reporting system can help your company to dramatically reduce check fraud & forgery.