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What is an Image Survivable Feature (ISF) and why are they required?

UK banks introduced a new way of clearing cheques whereby the image is scanned and processed. This has made the clearing process much faster and allowed other advances such as cheque clearing via mobile phones and online banking. The image scanning system did lead to a large increase in cheque fraud losses. Due to this banks now request that Image Survivable Features (ISF) are added to all cheques. ISF is a a coded algorithm that is added to cheques and used to identify that a cheque is genuine during the banks’ image scanning process. We are a Pay.UK accredited cheque printer, previously know as C&CCC/APACS.
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UCN Cheque

Cheque Fraud

Cheque fraud remains a persistent financial challenge, despite the increasing shift towards digital payment methods. This type of fraud typically involves the unauthorised alteration or creation of fraudulent cheques, resulting in substantial financial losses for both individuals and businesses. Criminals employ various tactics, such as forging signatures, altering payee details, or using stolen or counterfeit cheques to deceive financial institutions. While technological advancements have introduced enhanced security measures, cheque fraud continues to evolve, posing a threat to the financial sector. As a result, financial institutions, businesses, and individuals must remain vigilant and implement rigorous security protocols to combat this ongoing challenge and protect their financial assets.
UCN Cheque

UCN

UCN stands for Unique Coded Number. It is an ISF consisting of an encrypted code number printed on the face of the cheque. We encrypt the individual Cheque Number, Sort Code and Account Number into an alphanumeric string using a highly secure encryption algorithm which is printed onto the cheque in two designated positions. The UCN is always printed in two locations to ensure capture even if a receipt stamp has been used or it is otherwise obscured. The UCN is validated during the clearing process against the actual image of the cheque and any discrepancies are automatically flagged for review by fraud prevention operatives in the clearing system. As an Image Survivable Feature, the UCN will remain visible on the cheque after scanning and the cheque image passed into the new image-based clearing system for processing. The result is comprehensive validation and protection against counterfeit cheques. This method is used primarily for cheque books and when a cheque base stock is supplied to a customer pre-encoded with the MICR line ready to be used with their in-house cheque infilling software.

UCN Plus®

UCN Plus® is another option to consider when adding an ISF to a cheque. UCN Plus® offers the highest level of protection when clearing the digital image of a cheque. The difference is that it can only be added at the time the Payee details are added to the cheque. The payee and the amount payable are included within the high level security encryption process. This then appears on the cheque as a QR code. However, the QR code cannot be read by a standard QR code scanner and can only be read by scanners that have the encryption key. The cheque clearing process used by banks has this key. The result is full security protection for each cheque, ensuring that the cheque is genuine and that there has been no alteration to the payee or amount details. If you currently infill your own cheques and your accounting software does not have the ability to add the UCN Plus ®, there are two options that we can help you with. We offer a full in-house bureau service at our high security factory. Simply transfer your payment data through one of our secure data transfer portals and we take care of the rest. This is a cost-effective, hassle free option to deal with all your payment needs. We can handle cheque runs from as small as 10’s of cheques up to millions of cheques, so can accommodate businesses of all sizes. Do you still want to keep the cheque infill and postage in house? If so we can supply an easy to use cheque payment software system that adds UCN Plus ® automatically to all of you cheques.

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    ISF FAQS

    ISF is crucial in cheque fraud prevention because it adds an extra layer of security. By keeping the electronic imaging process intact, these features make it harder for fraudsters to tamper with or manipulate the cheque’s appearance, increasing its authenticity.

    Common ISF features include microprint, intricate line patterns, security backgrounds, watermarks, and UV inks. These elements are carefully integrated into cheque designs to ensure they remain discernible and unaltered when processed electronically.

    ISF are highly effective in deterring cheque fraud. They significantly reduce the likelihood of fraudsters altering or forging cheques during the electronic clearing process. However, their effectiveness can be further enhanced when used in conjunction with other security measures and fraud detection systems.

     

    Yes, ISF can be customised to match specific cheque designs or branding requirements. Financial institutions and organisations can work with experts in cheque design, such as A1SP, to incorporate personalised ISF that not only bolster security but also maintain brand identity and integrity.

    ISF Sectors

    Banking

    We work with banks to incorporate ISF features for their customer’s cheques.

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