Read the corresponding article, "Battling Fraud with Security" in the September issue of Print Solutions Magazine.

5 Tips for Selling Security Documents

1. Educate customers. Some end users are in the dark when it comes to their risk of document fraud. "We've found that a lot of the companies we approach don't have the proper number of security features on their checks," says Todd Mellon, president of Prime Business Solutions Inc., a 2-year-old distributorship in Akron, Ohio, that sells checks and gift certificates to restaurants and retail businesses. On sales calls, Mellon warns prospects that they're at risk and tells them about other local businesses that have been duped. Distributors also can show customers samples of security documents and articles about fraud from local and national newspapers. (Dozens of relevant articles are located at www.printsolutionsmag.com.)
   
   
2. Understand clients' document requirements. Depending on the environments they're used in, certain security documents require more protection than others. Documents cashed in controlled environments, such as local music stores, should be designed differently than coupons, gift certificates or rebate checks that are mailed to thousands of customers. Also, consider how many people will verify the authenticity of documents, how much time they'll have to verify the documents, whether they'll verify documents visually or by touch, and how verifiers are trained.
   
   
3. Tell recipients what to look for. Security features won't prevent fraud if the document's recipient doesn't know what to look for. In the case of invisible fluorescent fibers, verifiers must use UV lights to confirm the feature. Include information on documents that briefly explains their security features and how those features can be verified. Also, consider helping customers write letters to document recipients providing this information. Sending samples also is helpful.
   
   
4. Explain the benefits of "positive pay" and "reverse positive pay." These services can catch fraudulent checks drawn from corporate accounts. In the case of positive pay, firms send electronic files to their banks listing checks issued and their amounts. As checks are cleared through item-processing areas, banks match the checks and their amounts to the files. In reverse positive pay, banks send electronic files detailing check information to clients, who compare the information with their internal records. The businesses then tell the banks which checks match their internal information, and the bank processes them.
   
   
5. Teach customers to protect themselves in house. Documents layered with security features won't protect clients if they don't store them properly. Negotiable documents should be kept in secure areas where access is limited, boxes should remain sealed until they're ready to be used and mechanical signing equipment should be kept in secure areas away from blank checks.