Home / Check protection
Check guarantee services, so a bad check isn’t your problem.
Check guarantee services check a customer’s check before you accept it and, under the program’s terms, cover checks that come back. Through TeleCheck and CheckMate, we help you take checks without chasing the ones that bounce.
Check protection, at a glance
| Partners | TeleCheck, CheckMate |
| Verification | At the point of sale |
| Guarantee | Per program terms |
| Collection | Handed off, not chased by you |
| Runs with | Your card processing |
Coverage, limits and fees depend on the program you choose.
What returned checks really cost
A bounced check costs more than its face value. There are bank fees, phone calls, letters and staff time. Here is what many businesses live with, and what changes with check protection.
What you often find
- Taking checks on trust and hoping they clear
- Bank fees each time a deposited check is returned
- Staff making collection calls instead of serving customers
- Turning away check-paying customers to avoid the risk
- No record of which customers have bounced checks before
At PayZoom
- Checks verified before the customer walks out
- Guarantee coverage on approved checks, per the program terms
- Collection of returned checks handled by the provider
- Keep accepting checks from the customers who prefer them
- One team setting up your check and card processing together
How check guarantee services work
Check verification, guarantee and collection are related but different. A strong program usually combines all three, with the details set by the provider you choose.
Verification
The check is screened against databases at the counter before you accept it.
Guarantee
If an approved check comes back, the program covers it under its terms.
Collection
The provider handles recovering the money, so your staff doesn’t have to.
The PayZoom Statement Review
- Send. Email us one recent processing statement.
- Read. We line-item every fee and separate what the card networks charge from what your processor keeps.
- Recommend. You get a plain-English answer. If you are already paying a fair price, we will tell you.
- Switch. If you move to PayZoom, we set up processing to fit your POS, gateway or cart.
Having a free check collection service such as CheckMate really takes bad check collection off of our plate.
Joe Calagaz, Calagaz Photo
Since 2006, a person who knows your account.
| Founded | 2006, Daphne, Alabama |
| Clients in | Nearly every U.S. state |
| Support | Never outsourced |
| Registered partner of | Cygnus Payments and Evolv Payment Solutions |
Questions merchants ask us
Straight answers. If yours is not here, call us and a real person will answer it.
What is the difference between check verification and a check guarantee?
Check verification screens a check before you accept it and warns you about known risks. The decision and the loss, if it bounces, stay with you. A check guarantee goes further: if an approved check is returned, the program covers it under its terms. Our verification and guarantee guide goes deeper.
Which check providers does PayZoom work with?
We work with TeleCheck and CheckMate. TeleCheck is widely known for check verification and guarantee at the point of sale. CheckMate is a check collection service that takes the follow-up off your plate. We help you decide which one, or which combination, fits how often you take checks and how large they are.
Do I need new equipment to accept checks this way?
It depends on the program and your current setup. Some programs run through the same terminal you use for cards, while others use a check reader or scanner. We check what you have before suggesting anything, and we tell you plainly if a new device is needed and why.
Is check protection still worth it if few customers pay by check?
Sometimes not. If checks are rare and small, the program cost may outweigh the risk. If you take large checks, or a meaningful share of customers pay that way, protection can pay for itself in time saved. We look at how you actually get paid and give you a straight answer.
Send us one statement. We’ll tell you exactly what you’re paying.
No cost and no pressure. If your current rate is fair, we’ll say so. We typically reply the same business day.
| Call toll-free | 866.242.4325 |
| Local | 251.626.8100 |
| nate@bizpayzoom.com |