H1 2024 Check Fraud Report: Geographic Trends and Threat Actor Patterns

Recorded Future's 2024 Check Fraud Report analyzes nearly 1 million stolen bank check images from 700+ Telegram channels and finds a sharp increase in U.S. check fraud—an estimated $21 billion in losses in 2023—with notable patterns including 85% reposting of images, about 50% of stolen checks posted within eight days of theft, and geographic clustering along the Eastern Seaboard; the report recommends customer education, advanced analytics, and law enforcement collaboration to mitigate risk.