Using a different type of pen is just one of the ways you can protect your bank account from potential scammers.

The Door County Sheriff’s Department reported earlier this week that they had received several forgery and fraud-related calls related to personal checks being “washed.” Check washing occurs when scammers intercept your checks and put them through a process to remove the ink until they can put their name on it to cash it.

The Door County Sheriff’s Department says swapping out your pens is one way to fight back against fraud. By switching to gel-based ink, you make it harder for scammers to get rid of it because it is near impossible to remove. Bringing your checks directly to the post office, picking up your mail quickly after it is delivered, and paying bills online when possible are other ways you can protect yourself from check-washing fraud.