In 2021, banks reported nearly 250,000 cases of check fraud nationwide, according to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a unit of the U.S. Treasury Department.
By last year, that number exploded: nearly 460,000 check fraud cases were reported – an increase of 84%.
"Check fraud, and perhaps fraud in general flourishes on Telegram mainly due to its unrestrictive nature," Noriega said.
Even so, Q6 was able to find at least 30 channels on Telegram dedicated to providing the latest tips and techniques to commit bank fraud.
"Telegram is unfortunately a source for all things check fraud," Noriega said.