Random Alphanumeric Codes (Twice) on Cheque fronts.

janusd

I've just received a new chequebook from Cahoot and on the front of each cheque, there is a 9-character random alphanumeric code (starting with = and different on each cheque) printed twice - once above where you would write the payee and the other below the third line.

is this normal now? I haven't had to order a new chequebook in years and I tried googling about this, but I don't think those answers (BIC/SWIFT codes) were relevant.

wmb194

janusd said:

I've just received a new chequebook from Cahoot and on the front of each cheque, there is a 9-character random alphanumeric code (starting with = and different on each cheque) printed twice - once above where you would write the payee and the other below the third line.

is this normal now? I haven't had to order a new chequebook in years and I tried googling about this, but I don't think those answers (BIC/SWIFT codes) were relevant.

It might have been normal for quite a while: my Lloyds chequebook printed in late 2019 has these as well. The codes on mine all start, "#".

Section62

wmb194 said:

janusd said:

I've just received a new chequebook from Cahoot and on the front of each cheque, there is a 9-character random alphanumeric code (starting with = and different on each cheque) printed twice - once above where you would write the payee and the other below the third line.

is this normal now? I haven't had to order a new chequebook in years and I tried googling about this, but I don't think those answers (BIC/SWIFT codes) were relevant.

It might have been normal for quite a while: my Lloyds chequebook printed in late 2019 has these as well. The codes on mine all start, "#".

I think the codes started appearing when they modernised the clearing system and introduced imaging.

I assumed it was some form of additional security/validation to make sure the cheque was a genuine one.  The sort code/acc number/cheque number uniquely identify a cheque, but these are something a fraudster could work out or guess.  If this code is unique to that cheque and the linkage is only known by the bank and the customer then it would be impossible for a fraudster to forge a cheque with the correct code on it.

gt94sss2

It is a Unique Coded Number (UCN)

As above, they are part of additional security measures known as Image Survivable Features (ISF) used when cheques clear using their new image based clearing process.