Cute Vs dangerous

my kid - My kid with face hidden
February 8, 2007 6:45am CST
Some Banks will now take a submitted photo from the customer and put them on their checks. I have seen one lady with her children’s picture on hers. I was a bit disturb to see this, I do not think it is very wise to do. After all when we use our checks, we are handing them over to a stranger. I have heard of people using checks to commit theft with, so you never know in whose hands they may fall in. Am I just paranoid?( Not the question, hold on, LOL) ?Questions? Do you think this is cute or is it dangerous since her address and telephone number is attached? Do you feel the Banks should show some responsibility when a proud parent doesn’t and maybe refuse to use photos of children? Thanks to all in advance :-)
14 people like this
40 responses
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
8 Feb 07
I think it is very disturbing. Especially, putting children on there with a name and a telephone number. That is really unwise. I couldn't believe it but I've actually seen checks with a social security number on them. It was a few years back and I hope it isn't done anymore. How stupid can you get??? Personally, I think an avatar would be a good idea for checks. Of course, I'd have to change mine. Don't want anybody to get any ideas about cat-nabbing Humphrey. LOL
2 people like this
8 Feb 07
Back in the early 90's when I opened my first checking account, it was the norm to put S.S. numbers on them. My first set had mine on it along with address and phone number. To think of that now, it's almost shocking.
1 person likes this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
8 Feb 07
I agree with you. In todays society we do not need more ways to hurt our children. by putting their photos on checks along with adress and phonenumber we are asking for more trouble. I think this is something that the banks really shoudl consider if they develop this idea further. Here that will not be a problem coz checks are more or less never used. =)
2 people like this
8 Feb 07
They are here as well, I reckon that is what caught my eye. The lady wrote a check instead of using a bank card, and then everyone was commenting on how cute it was. She loudly said, "yes those are my girls". WOW!
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Feb 07
In 100% agreement with you! It also disturbs me to see proud parents post pictures of their children in forums such as this. Please friends don't take any offense, as I don't mean to come off as sounding harsh or nasty. It's just that I was in one forum where one of my friends had her son's picture posted. It had been there for over a year and one day another of her friends joined a group, was mortified and contacted my friend to ask her if she had given permission to Mr. so-and-so to add her son's picture to his photo gallery. It turned out that Mr. So-and-so was stalking members and snagging pics of all the little boys and collecting them for his albums. Naturally he was reported; but somehow he got wind of it before any action could be taken and he disappeared. Also naturally, he had not used his real name or address when signing up. We all have to be so careful now and it saddens me so to think that there are people like this out in our world. ~donna
1 person likes this
8 Feb 07
That is just freaky! What a low life! You make a very good point. I have my girls pics on our web site, but they are really old ones. I may have to go take them down because while I knew no information about us is there, so they can't find where we live, I never thought about some freak collecting photos of children. Thanks for sharing that.
1 person likes this
@patootie (3592)
8 Feb 07
Ohh blimey that's the last thing parents should be thinking of doing .. it gives far too much away to anyone contemplating doing bad things .. but what are the banks thinking of letting this be done in the first place .. This is at least one thing we should be taking notice of from celebs .. they do all they can to keep their children out of sight .. rarely let them be photographed .. and rarely talk about them .. And for very good reason .. they want to keep them safe ... parents take note ! Keep your photos for family albums .. !
1 person likes this
8 Feb 07
Very good point, at least don't use their photos in a way someone can show up at your door in hopes of grabing them. People just don't think anymore.
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Feb 07
I don't think it is cute. How stupid and dangerous we are so concerned about our children and pedophiles and that person is giving information, as you say name address and phone number, to potential child molesters. I am shocked that any bank would put anything like that on the checks.
1 person likes this
@patootie (3592)
8 Feb 07
That was my first thought .. I think the banks need to be more responsible and stop doing this immediately ..
1 person likes this
8 Feb 07
I know! Seems like people get so wrapped up in bragging they have children and look how cute, they forget how dangerous that can be. At least on a check.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Jul 07
Thanks for BR
• United States
8 Feb 07
I agree. This sounds very dangerous-- there are too many sickos out there! I would never out my kids picture with my address and other info on a check. Now a potential predator has a photo of the kid, the kid's address and the names of the parents. "Hey Junior, your mom Sally said I should pick you up here at the bus stop. I'm a friend of hers." I think check printing companies should not allow this, but they just want to make their money.
1 person likes this
8 Feb 07
Thanks, it hit me right off as odd and not a smart move on Mommy's part. Very dangerous. BTW thanks for the complement. Everyone says she looks just like me, LOL.
• United States
8 Feb 07
By the way, love the picture of your kid, sunshinecup. LOL
1 person likes this
@cikedo (3483)
• United States
9 Feb 07
I would never put anything that personal on my checks. It would be asking for trouble. Odds are nothing bad will ever come from it but still there is always the chance of it ending up in the wrong hands.
1 person likes this
@pagli84 (1850)
• Netherlands
8 Feb 07
i dont understand why the woman would put a picture with her children on her checks. i mean, she should know that the checks will be going into strangers' hands, and there is no guarantee that these strangers are safe. since her address and number are on the check as you mentioned, i find that very risky. she might love her kids so much that she wants them on her checks, but she should also take into consideration that she could potentially be inviting some unwanted attention.
1 person likes this
@bam001 (940)
• United States
8 Feb 07
I don't know that the bank can refuse to allow the photos on the checks, but I think that the parents really need to stop and think before they send their children's pictures all over. I would err on the side of safety and not use photographs on my checks. First of all, anyone seeing the check has your address...who knows what kinds of people will eventually come into contact with the check. I realize that the check SHOULD only been seen by certain retail employees and certain bank employees...but I have had many people who are just in line behind or beside me comment on my "classic corvette" checks. Can you imagine having your child on the check. Someone comments on it and it brings attention. You could have several people checking out the check before you even hand it to the cashier. Photos on checks...scary --if you ask me.
1 person likes this
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
8 Feb 07
I really think that is a bad idea. Here let me give you a photo of my child, my telephone number and my address ... here's my checking account information too! So while you're stealing my identity could you please pick my child up after school?? I know that some people have problems with posting pictures to the internet ... but honestly, your check? How much information do you want to give someone? I think that checks are becoming more and more a thing of the past - and this is just another example of why this is a good thing! Great topic Sunshinecup ... just out of curiousity, was the lady with her child's photo a friend or did she give you the check at your place of employment? I also think that the banks need to use their heads in all of this too! They should be held responsible for anything bad that happends to a child that might be hurt due to this. I think of it in terms of a bartender who allows a customer to get drunk and doesn't make sure they call a cab.
@ukchriss (2097)
9 Feb 07
What a stupid idea, I would complain to the bank and I would have had a quiet word with the woman and made her realise what danger she is putting those children in. So no you are not being paranoid
@goldjay (465)
• United States
8 Feb 07
I agree that this is very dangerous. After all, if the check were to fall into the wrong hands, a kidnapper would know that children live at such and such address (as printed on the check) and could do all sorts of crazy things. They'd even know the last name (well, it's possible that the kids have a different last name but still....) I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't even put my picture on my checks...
• Canada
9 Feb 07
First off... cute kid you have.. love their smile ;) At first I thought it was a good idea, or at least a cute one. That was until I looked at my check book at noticed that my checks really do have my address on them. Shows how often I use them.. Now I think it is probably not the best idea out there. If there was no address or phone number on them that would be better, but not as they are now.
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Feb 07
Well thats interesting. Photos on check NEVER heard of that before! But yeah putting yours kids faces on those is bad. What if they got lost or stollen? It was bad enough when I lost my visa debit card and someone charged stuff and I left a check in my planner too. I'd hate to think I had my kids pictures out there for ANYONE to figure out who and where they were! Seeing address is on there already. I dont even use checks much, and those I do I rarely place phone number on unless asked!
• United States
24 Jul 07
I totally agree with you on this. There is NO WAY I would ever put my childs face or even my own on a check! That's just asking for it. And yes I think the bank should at the very least make the parents sign a waiver if they insist on putting child's face on their checks. Though I do think it's a neat feature. I hadn't heard about it. But then again I haven't ordered check through my bank in years.
@greengal (4286)
• United States
8 Feb 07
Oh I wasn't even aware that such a thing existed..well I personally think it's very unsafe! As you mentioned, checks circulate through various strangers and it definitely is unsafe to let them know private details. I don't understand why you need to have personalized checks to such an extent! The verdict: its dangerous! And no, you aren't paranoid..lol;)
8 Feb 07
Thanks, I don't want to be a old fuddy duddy. I was just shocked by this and everyone else seemed to think it was cute. Some people were saying how they may do this with their checks! Crazy.
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
8 Feb 07
While I can understand a proud parent finding it a wonderful new choice to be able to put their child's photo on a check, I can understand where you're coming from with the privacy issue and the fact that we are handing checks over to virtual strangers when we pay for something. I agree that it seems a little bit risky. Maybe we should stick to putting our pet's pictures on a check, lol! That seems safer. (Not that I currently have any pets - but if I did, I would love to have their pictures on my checks! ^_^ )
1 person likes this
@chaselee (240)
• Philippines
9 Feb 07
This is the first time I heard about attaching pictures on a cheque. Why do need to put pictures in it? I mean cheques are given to another people and its not like it will serve as an identification or something. I dont get the point of putting pictures on the cheque.
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
5 Jul 07
I have to disagree I think its a good idea to put peoples pictures on their checks. As far as it fallign into the wrong hands, this is the information age and anyone could get any informationa bout you with or without a picture on a check all they need is your name and approxiamte age and for 7 bucks online they can pretty much find out anything they want to know about you. Besides arent these checks returned to the owners after they clear the bank anyways? atleast mien are.
5 Jul 07
Hi Hunter, it's not just a picture, but putting a child's picture on them along with the information of where they can find the child as well as Mom/Dad or both names of their parents. To me that is way too much information to be handing someone as far a kid goes.
25 Jul 07
i think it's dangerous with so many perverse people in circulation. Our children are in continoul danger without this information imagine what it would be with this information in the hands of crazy people. If my bank ask me to do such thing I'll change better my bank that allow them to do it.