National Check Fraud Center Check Washing What is It? Check washing takes place to the tune of $815 million every year in the U.S. And it is increasing at an alarming rate. Using a process known as check washing, mail snatchers erase the ink on a check with chemicals found in common household cleaning products or on the shelves of your local Walmart and then rewrite the checks to themselves, increasing the amount payable by hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Types of Chemicals Report ...