Message to businesses - Security features on Government of Canada cheques

Government of Canada cheques have many security features to help you tell the difference between a good cheque and a counterfeit. Although these cheques are rarely counterfeited, you should know that you will have to absorb the financial loss if you cash an invalid one. You can, however, take steps to protect yourself by becoming familiar with the two main security features that help prevent counterfeiting:

• Tri-maple leaf watermark - they appear in several places on the cheque and are best seen by holding the cheque up to a light and looking through the back
• Security fibres - they appear randomly on the front and back of the cheque (some are visible under normal lighting, some of these glow under ultra-violet light, and others are visible only under ultraviolet light)

In addition to counterfeits, you should also watch for fraudulently endorsed or altered cheques. Use the traditional methods of cheque verification: as a minimum,ask for photo identification, compare signatures, and ensure that information has not been added to or erased from the cheque.

Remember, you don't have to cash Government of Canada cheques. If you have any doubts about a cheque presented to you by a customer, you can always ask that he or she take it to a financial institution for cashing.

For more information, please contact the Receiver General for Canada.