| 1. | A method of treating a cheque to prevent cheque fraud, the method comprising applying a transparent protective layer to at least the face of a cheque to prevent tampering with the cheque. |
| 2. | A method according to claim 1 wherein a layer of transparent, flexible plastics material is applied to the cheque. |
| 3. | A method according to claim 2 wherein the transparent layer is an adhesivecoated layer which is applied to the face of the cheque. |
| 4. | A method according to claim 1 wherein the cheque is completely encapsulated between first and second protective layers. |
| 5. | A method according to claim 4 wherein the cheque is passed through a laminating machine which encapsulates the cheque between two sheets of plastics material, at least one of which is transparent, with the edges of the sheets extending beyond the edges of the cheque ; and bonds the edges of the sheets together. |
| 6. | A method according to any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein a transparent layer in contact with the face of the cheque is caused to adhere strongly to the cheque, so that removable thereof irreparably defaces the cheque. |
| 7. | A method according to claim 5 including applying a date and/or time stamp to the cheque or to the encapsulating plastics material. |
| 8. | A method according to claim 5 including applying an encapsulating machine identity code to the cheque or to the encapsulating plastics material. |
| 9. | A method according to claim 8 including encrypting the encapsulating machine identity code. |
| 10. | A method according to claim 1 wherein the cheque is printed or coated with a protective layer that has a physical characteristic that changes after signing of the cheque, to render it tamper proof. |
| 11. | A method according to claim 10 wherein the cheque is coated with a photosensitive plastics layer that is exposed to a suitable light source after signing thereof, causing the layer to harden irreversibly. |
| 12. | A method according to claim 10 wherein the cheque is coated with a heat sensitive layer that is exposed to heat after signing thereof, causing the layer to harden irreversibly. |
| 13. | A method according to claim 10 wherein the cheque is coated with a selfhardening layer that hardens over a predetermined period of time following exposure of the cheque to air. |
Cheque fraud is commonplace, and may involve the issuing of fraudulent cheques, or tampering with legitimately issued cheques. In the latter case, it is common for the cheque to be altered so that the name of the payee or. the amount of the cheque are changed.
It is an object of the invention to address this problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a method of treating a cheque to prevent cheque fraud, the method comprising applying a transparent protective layer to at least the face of the cheque to prevent tampering with the cheque.
In one embodiment of the method, a layer of transparent, flexible plastics material is applied to the cheque.
The transparent layer may be an adhesive-coated layer which is applied to the face of the cheque.
Alternatively, the cheque may be completely encapsulated between first and second protective layers.
For example, the cheque may be passed through a laminating machine which encapsulates the cheque between two sheets of plastics material, at least one of which is transparent, with the edges of the sheets extending beyond the edges of the cheque ; and bonds the edges of the sheets together.
In either case, it is preferred that the transparent layer in contact with the face of the cheque is caused to adhere strongly to the cheque, so that removable thereof irreparably defaces the cheque.
The method may including applying a date and/or time stamp to the cheque or to the encapsulating plastics material.
The method may further include applying an encapsulating machine identity code to the cheque or to the encapsulating plastics material.
The encapsulating machine identity code may be encrypted.
In another embodiment of the method, the cheque may be printed or coated with a protective layer that has a physical characteristic that changes after signing of the cheque, to render it tamper proof.
For example, the cheque may be coated with a photosensitive plastics layer that is exposed to a suitable light source after signing thereof, causing the layer to harden irreversibly.
Alternatively, the cheque may be coated with a heat sensitive layer that is exposed to heat after signing thereof, causing the layer to harden irreversibly.
In another alternative embodiment, the cheque is coated with a self- hardening layer that hardens over a predetermined period of time following exposure of the cheque to air.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 illustrates pictorially the method of the invention in operation ; and Figure 2 is a pictorial view of a cheque which has been encapsulated by the method of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in Figure 1, a conventional cheque 10, which may be a printed cheque or a handwritten cheque, but which is complete and signed, is inserted into the input slot 12 of a conventional desktop laminating machine 14. Such machines are designed to encapsulate flat sheets of a predetermined size between two thin, flexible transparent layers of tough plastics material, with the edges of the layers of plastics material extending beyond the edges of the sheet to be encapsulated. The edges are then bonded together, for example, by heat sealing or by adhesive, and the encapsulated article is ejected from the machine. Figure 1 shows the encapsulated cheque 16.
Referring to Figure 2, it can be seen that the encapsulated cheque 16 has a first, upper layer 18 and a second, lower layer 20 of thin, flexible plastics material, which are shown peeled apart for the sake of clarity. In practice, the plastics layers 18 and 20 are sufficiently tough and are sealed together sufficiently strongly that separation thereof is very difficult without damaging the cheque 10 itself. Preferably, at least the layer 18 has an adhesive coating on its inner surface which adheres strongly to the face of the cheque 10, so that any attempt to separate it from the cheque results in permanent and irreversible damage to the cheque.
In a refinement of the invention, dedicated laminating machines 14 can be provided which apply a date and/or time stamp to the encapsulated cheque, either to the cheque itself or to the encapsulation thereof. The machine could also have a unique identity code which is imprinted on the cheque or encapsulating material, possibly in an encrypted form, to increase the security of the encapsulation process. It is envisaged that encapsulation facilities could be provided at banks and post offices, for example, for use by customers issuing their own cheques. Companies and government departments could of course have their own lamination or encapsulation machines. It is also envisaged that banks or businesses could amend their procedures so as to accept only encapsulated cheques for amounts greater predetermined limits.
It will be appreciated that numerous variations of the invention are possible.
For example, instead of laminating a signed cheque, the printing and lamination steps could be combined in the case of machine printed cheques.
In another variation, instead of physically laminating or coating the cheque after printing and/or signing thereof, the cheque can be printed or coated with a protective layer that has a physical characteristic that changes after signing of the cheque, to render it tamper proof. The protective layer can be a photosensitive plastics layer that is exposed to a suitable light source, such as a UV light source, after signing thereof, causing the layer to harden irreversibly. Instead, the protective layer could be a heat sensitive layer that is exposed to heat after signing of the cheque to cause the layer to harden irreversibly, or could be a self-hardening layer designed to harden over a predetermined period of time after application thereof, following exposure of the cheque to air, for example.