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If you are a small business owner, tired of paying credit card and debit card transaction fees, have to change your name on your credit card, or cannot send checks physically, for some reason, there is a way you can send checks by email. Electronic checks are more secure and pocket friendly than regular paper checks. It is a paperless transaction making it environment friendly.
If you are wondering how to deposit an emailed check, we will tell you. The process is fully automated, the amount is automatically deducted from the payer’s account and deposited into your account via the ACH (Automated Clearing House) network. In this article, we will discuss whether can you send a check through email. And we will explain it easily.
How to Send Electronic Emails?
It is simple and easy to learn how to send a check via email. Checks by email are far more secure and cost-effective compared to a traditional paper check. Now, before answering the question of how to send check online, we have to understand that there are some drawbacks to digital checks. For example, while sending an electronic check you have to keep in mind is, the concerned business should accept e-checks as a form of payment. If they accept, there are two ways to send an electronic check via email.
So, how to send a check online? By using a third-party app or sending an image of the check. Multiple apps help in sending a digital check via email, some of the popular ones are Deluxe e-checks, Checkbook, and Paynote. You just have to sign in and fill in your bank details. If you don’t want to use any app, you can just click an image of the check after filling it out, back and front, and send it via email. Having RDC (Remote Deposit Capture) apps on your smartphone can be helpful, as they scan the check and transmit it to banks as deposits. Hopefully, this will solve your query can you email a check?
How Does an eCheck Work?
E-checks work the same as a traditional paper check just, electronically. Making the process a lot faster and stress-free. If you are wondering how to email check, the following process will clear your confusion.
- Permission of Payment
The customer requires permission from the business to transfer the money. The permission can be given by filling out an online form or through a recorded phone conversation.
- Payment Set Up
After filling out the permission form, the customer fills in the amount to be sent to the business. If it is a recurring payment, the schedule also can be set.
- Finalize the Payment
After filling out the amount, the customer has to finalize the payment by tapping on the save button, to start the electronic bank-to-bank transfer.
- Deposit
The amount is then automatically deducted from the customer account and deposited into the business account, and it can be withdrawn at any time.
Who Uses e-checks?
E-checks are currently used mostly by businesses, to receive money from customers and send money to vendors. Both small and large businesses use e-checks to expand their financial network. For example, if you sell pancakes to a cake shop. You can ask the shop to pay you via email by using third-party software. Some popular ones are Deluxe e-checks, Checkbook, and Paynote as already mentioned above. These apps not only help in transferring e-checks but can also enable online payment facilities and act as a money-saving apps. For a business, sending a check online costs around 48 to 60 cents, depending on the membership subscribed.
What are e-Checks and Digital Checks?
Both e-checks and digital checks transfer money electronically from one bank to another, but they function differently.
e-check
e-checks work the same way a traditional paper check does. Just, electronically. Making the process a lot faster and stress-free. The money is automatically deducted from the payer’s account and deposited into the payee’s account via the ACH network.
An Automated Clearing House (ACH) is a network used by financial institutions in the U.S. to transfer money. You should not worry about how to deposit an emailed check, as it is fairly easy to do. However, while sending an e-check, you have to keep in mind if the concerned business accepts e-checks.
Digital Check
A digital check is a replica of a paper check. It uses highly secure email encryption to send money, the only other information a payer requires is the payess’s email address. Digital checks are deposited instantly and can be turned into virtual checks, or printed out. Electronic checks fall under the Checks 21 law, which aims to make electronic checks more acceptable.
Merits and Demerits of Digital Checks
It is very important to discuss the merits and demerits of sending checks through email, even though we have found a positive answer to the question, can you email a check. Every feature has its share of benefits and drawbacks, so let’s go through the merits and demerits of digital checks.
Merits
- It is easy and convenient to use
Traditional paper checks require a checkbook or a single check to be filled out. If you don’t have one, head to the nearest bank branch and apply for a new checkbook. To submit the check, you have to go in person to the business, or post the check, which is tiring and takes an eternity. If you send check online it deposits instantly to the respected business account.
- Checks by email are more secure than regular paper checks
Emailing a check is more secure, as regular mail out and can land on an unknown person. Even though the person can’t use it, personal information like your account number and name is out.
- Simple Procedure
Filling out a regular paper check can be a hard task, one careless mistake can result in a check bounce. Common mistakes that everyone has done include the wrong amount, incorrect signature, and wrong account number. These kinds of mistakes can be eliminated by using a digital check and knowing how to email check.
- Affordability
By emailing a check online you get to save a lot of money on traveling and fees. You have to pay a fee when you apply for a checkbook. You have to physically post the checkbook or go in person to the respective business to submit it. Checks by email can save all this cost. So you can add this to your money-saving app instead of credit card pay.
Demerits
- Your bank account can be compromised if your mail id is Hacked.
Even though electronic checks are more secure than traditional checks, unfortunately, if your email is not safe, then the hacker can access your bank account.
- Some financial institutes do not accept checks by email.
Some banks do not accept check deposits with a check image. So before paying online check whether the concerned business accepts e-checks as a form of payment.
- You may be disposed to many online frauds
You may easily get scammed, as fraudsters may pose as bill collectors, businesses, etc., to not get scammed, make sure to check the sender’s information and details before sending money.
How to Email an eCheck or Digital Check?
As we have mentioned above the two types of checks, e-checks, and digital checks let us understand how to send a check via email.
- e-check
While sending an e-check, the first thing you have to consider is whether the concerned business accepts e-checks as a form of payment. If they do, you have to include the information in their e-check portal. After this process, you will be asked to fill out your bank information, the amount to send, and some personal information as well. An invoice number is usually asked which is provided by them.
- Digital Check
A digital check has a lot of similarities to a paper check. There are two answers to how to email a check, using a third-party app or sending an image of the check.
- By using Third-Party Software
Multiple apps help in sending a digital check via email, some of the popular ones are Deluxe e-checks, Checkbook, and Paynote. This type of software even helps you to enable online the facility of receiving payment via email.
- Image of the check
As the name suggests you have to just click an image of the check after filling it out, back and front, and send it via email. Usually, banks and businesses do not accept check deposits with a check image. Hence, having an RDC (Remote deposit capture) app on your smartphone can be helpful as it scans the check and transmits it to banks for deposits.
How to Deposit and Receive Checks by Email?
- How to Receive an E-check
To receive an e-check you should give your email address and transactional info to the payer to get the payment via mail. If you are using third-party software for emailing a check then, you can just send the link to the concerned payer. The payer will add the transactional information and initiate the payment. If the payer does not use any of this then, you can ask them to mail an image of the check, back and front. Make sure that the check number, date, and other transactional information are visible and readable.
- How to Deposit an E-check
When you use an e-check, the money is automatically deducted from the payer’s account and deposited into the payee’s account via the ACH network. An Automated Clearing House (ACH) is a network that is used by financial institutions in the U.S. to transfer money. While sending an e-check, you have to keep in mind that the concerned business should accept e-checks as a form of payment. In the case of banks, you should ask them if they consider printed checks or an image of the check. Usually, banks accept printed checks. This should answer your question about how to deposit an emailed check.
Is It Safe to Send an Image of a Check via Mail?
In today’s day and age where online scams and hacking are quite common, digital checks are not completely safe. You may meet scams, as fraudsters may pose as bill collectors, businesses, etc. hackers can access your bank details which consist of your account number, name, and address which they can use to steal your money. Around 30 to 40 million people are victims of identity theft. Even if your system is safe from hackers or viruses, the recipient’s system might not be secure. Your financial information will come out.
The safest way for emailing a check is by creating an encrypted pdf file of your check and then sending it. It will be secure as it will be password/pin protected. You can protect your files if you are a Microsoft user. To protect files on your Windows PC, left-click the file, tap info, then tap protect files and your file is no longer in any danger. You can share the password using a secure platform, to share the password verbally where it will be free of online fraudsters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How do emailed checks work?
An email check works like a traditional paper check, just electronically. The money is automatically deducted from the payer’s account and deposited into the payee’s account via the ACH network.
Q2. What is the safest way to send a check?
The safest way to send a check is to encrypt your check image and then send it to the recipient.
Q3. Can someone email a picture of a check?
Yes, you can just click an image of the check after filling it out, back and front, and send it via email. In addition to this, having an RDC (Remote deposit capture) app on your smartphone can be helpful as it scans the check and transmits it to banks for deposits.
Conclusion
Gone are those days when it would take 4 to 5 days for a check to reach the recipient via post. It takes seconds to send checks by email. There are mainly two types of checks that are sent via email, they are e-checks and digital checks. The best part is e-checks work the same as a traditional paper check just, electronically. Thus, the money is then automatically deducted from the payer’s account and deposited into the payee’s account via the ACH network, which is already explained above. Whereas, a digital check is a replica of a paper check.
