Security Features of a U.S. Treasury Check - NEACH

Dear Financial Institution Representative,
As a result of the Economic Stimulus package, your financial institution will notice an
increase of U.S. Treasury checks being presented for payment.
The U.S. Treasury’s Financial Management Service (FMS) would like to take this
opportunity to remind you of the various security features on U.S. Treasury issued checks
that aid in fraud reduction related to alterations and counterfeiting. FMS has
implemented a number of security features that enable financial institutions, the Federal
Reserve Banks and the U.S. Treasury to detect fraud when checks have been altered or
counterfeited thereby reducing losses to your financial institution.
The U.S. Treasury check has state-of-the-art safety and design features that are
manufactured in the check to reduce the number of altered and counterfeit checks. The
enclosed document will assist your first line employees in the detection of fraudulent
documents presented to them.
If you need further information about these security features, please contact the FMS
Questioned Documents Branch at (202) 874-7640. FMS is available to conduct seminars
or briefings at banking conferences to educate you more about these security features.
Starting Tuesday May 20, 2008, you may verify check issue information at the FMS
Treasury Check Verification Application (TCVA) on the FMS website at
“www.tcva.fms.treas.gov”. The website is available 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, Monday
through Friday. A link is also available at that site for information related to Treasury
check security features.
We appreciate the opportunity to provide this information to you and hope that it assists
your financial institution with the additional check volume that you may experience.
Sincerely,
Enclosure
Ronald G. Cymbor, Director
Check Resolution Division

Security Features of a U.S. Treasury Check
Listed below are security features incorporated into the design of a U.S. Treasury check:
1. Watermark - U.S. Treasury checks are printed on watermarked paper. The
watermark reads “U.S. TREASURY” from both the front and the back of the check
and can be seen only by holding the check up to the light. The watermark is light and
can not be reproduced by a copier. All U.S. Treasury checks have the watermark and
any check not having the watermark should be suspected as being counterfeit or
copied.
Some counterfeit checks have the watermark printed as part of the check’s
background. The counterfeit watermark is then visible without light passing through
the check. Checks having very visible “U.S. TREASURY” watermarks as a part of
the printed check background are counterfeit.
2. Silhouette of the Statue of Liberty – The front of a U.S. Treasury check has a
silhouette of the Statue of Liberty’s head as part of the printed background.
3. Symbol and Serial Numbers – The four digit symbol number and the eight digit
serial number are printed on every U.S. Treasury check and are located on the upper
right hand side of the check. These two sets of numbers are repeated on the MICR
line printed across the bottom of the check.
4. Microprinted Endorsement Line – Microprinted words are printed so small that
they appear as a line to the naked eye. When magnified, the microprinted words
become visible. Microprinting cannot be duplicated by a copier and will show up as a
solid line if a copying attempt is made. The endorsement line on the reverse of the
U.S. Treasury check is actually a line of microprint that, when magnified, spells out:
“USAUSAUSAUSAUSAUSAUSAUSAUSAUSAUSAUSAUSA”
The microprinted endorsement line on counterfeit checks is usually a solid line or a
series of dots. Counterfeiters normally do not use printing technology capable of
microprinting.
5. MICR Line Issue Date – On the MICR line of a U.S. Treasury check there is a sixdigit
transaction code field that represents a 2-digit agency code, 2-digit month and 2-
digit year (XXMMYY). The month and year printed on the MICR line of the check
represents the issue month and year of the check and will match the date on the top
left side of the check. This is not a required field and may not be present on the
MICR line.
6. Ultraviolet Overprinting – A protective ultraviolet pattern, invisible to the naked
eye, consisting of four lines of “FMS” bracketed by the FMS seal on the left and the
United States seal (eagle) on the right. This pattern can usually be found under the
payee information and amount area. The FMS pattern and seals can be detected under

a black light. If the amount box is shaved or altered in any way, a space will be
created in the ultraviolet area. When exposed to black light, the ink used in the
pattern and the seal will glow. This fluorescent quality cannot be photocopied.
7. Bleeding Ink - The Treasury seal, located to the right of the Statue of Liberty contains
security ink that will run and turn red when moisture is applied to the black ink of the
seal. This feature is only available on newly issued check stock.
If you need further information about these security features, please contact the FMS
Questioned Documents Branch at (202) 874-7640. FMS is available to conduct seminars
or briefings at banking conferences to educate you more about these security features.
Starting May 20, 2008 you may verify check issue information at the FMS Treasury
Check Verification Application (TCVA) on the FMS website at
“www.tcva.fms.treas.gov”. The website is available 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, Monday
through Friday. A link is also available at that site for information related to Treasury
check security features.