When nonprofit’s $10,000 was stolen from the mail, Beacon Bank helped get it back

When United Parish in Brookline discovered a check for nearly $10,000 had been stolen from the mail, “washed” to alter the payee and fraudulently cashed, church leaders turned to Sasha Liang, manager at our Coolidge Corner branch, for help.

“Instead of calling a 1-800 number and hoping to reach the right person, we called Sasha right away,” said Jim Smith, accounting administrator for the Brookline, Massachusetts, church. “When something like this happens, it's incredibly valuable to have someone you know and trust to call.”

‘Every dollar matters’
The church discovered the fraud after it received a second invoice from a vendor it believed had already been paid. It fell victim to check washing, a form of fraud in which criminals steal checks from the mail and alter the original payment information before cashing or depositing the checks.

The loss was especially meaningful because the church serves United Parish in Brookline’s tight-knit community where it provides space for more than 30 community organizations and programs, including a food pantry, recovery groups, arts organizations and youth programming.

“Every dollar matters to help us fulfill our mission, so getting that money back was important to help us sustain our operations,” said Tyler Smith, treasurer at the church. “We were in low spirits because we were pretty sure we weren't going to get that money back. It was a wonderful surprise when we did.”

Vigilance around fraud the ‘new reality’
Liang and the bank’s Fraud and Cash Management teams successfully guided church leaders through the situation to recover all of the funds and stand up additional safeguards, including bank services for business clients that flag suspicious checks before they are paid.

“Ensuring we recovered the funds was important, but it also became an opportunity to help them better protect themselves going forward,” Liang said.

United Parish in Brookline has since avoided any additional fraud losses and gained greater visibility into account activity. The experience also reinforced how important it is for the church to regularly review account activity and consider additional fraud prevention tools.

“It impressed upon us that this wasn't a fluke or a one-time problem,” said Jim Smith. “Fraud and scams like this are the new reality, and we need to be prepared and take them seriously.”

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How to prevent check “washing” fraud:

Switch to secure digital payment platforms when possible: Eliminate the risks tied to mailing paper checks.

Use gel pens if you must write checks: Black or blue gel pens’ ink embeds into paper fibers making chemical washing much harder.

Practice smart mail habits if you must mail checks: Don’t drop U.S. mail in blue outdoor collection boxes. Mail checks directly inside a local post office. Don’t leave checks on your mailbox for the carrier. Collect your mail promptly at home; never let it sit overnight.

September 2026

Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
Beacon Bank is a Massachusetts charter bank.