Helpful Tips

Are there any tips on how I can get a good image of my check?

With a digital camera:

• Make sure to lay your check down flat on a hard surface.
• If the edges of your check are white or a very light color, try using a dark surface as a background.
• Make sure the lighting is good so the image doesn’t come out too dark.  Also, make sure that there are no bright spots from your camera flash that may cause the image to be too light.
• Be sure there are no other objects in the picture with your check.
• When taking the picture, be sure you capture all 4 corners of the check.
• Don’t crop the image, even if there’s a lot of extra space around the check, because it will decrease the image resolution, making it difficult to read.
• Make sure that the pre-printed account and routing number at the bottom of your check are visible.  This is what we use to verify your check info.

With a scanner:

• If the edges of your check are white or a very light color, try using a dark piece of paper as a background.
• Place your check in the center of your scanner bed (rather than lined up in a corner).
• Set the image resolution on your scanner to at least 300 dpi. This setting is usually found in your scanner properties but consult your user’s manual if you have any questions.
• Make sure the check image you save is right side up. 
• Make sure that the pre-printed account and routing number at the bottom of your check are visible.  This is what we use to verify your check info.
• Adding black dots to the four corners of your check will allow oddly-patterned checks to be deposited.

Examples:

How do I endorse the back of my check?

If the check’s made out to just you, sign your name on the back. If the check’s made out to two people, properly signing it can be tricky. Recently married couples may run into issues here. When in doubt, have both people sign the check. Here are some guidelines:

• When the word “AND” is used
  • Example: John Smith AND Susan Smith
  • The check can be accepted if:
    • Both people are on the Capital One 360 account and only one Customer endorses the check
    • Only one person is on the Capital One 360 account and both people endorse the check
    • Only one person is on the Capital One 360 account and the non-Capital One 360 Customer endorses the check
  • The check may be rejected if:
    • Only one person is on the Capital One 360 account and no one endorses the check
    • Only one person is on the Capital One 360 account and the only endorsement is by the Capital One 360 Customer
• When the word “OR” is used
  • Example: John Smith OR Susan Smith
  • The check will be accepted as long as the check has been endorsed by one of the people

Keep in mind, checks made out to minors are a little different. To make sure these checks are accepted, parents or guardians should write “Parent/Guardian” below their signature on the back of the check.

If you tried to deposit a check using CheckMate and it was rejected, just update the signatures on the back of the check based on the guidelines above and try again.