Direct deposit the best way to be safe

Each month, nearly 250,000 senior citizens and people with disabilities in the Chicago area count on getting their Social Security or other federal benefit checks safe and on time.

They may not realize that paper checks can be vulnerable to check fraud and forgery. In fact, last year nearly 60,000 paper checks issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury -- worth about $56 million -- were forged. Those numbers could rise, as America's oldest baby boomers become eligible for retirement benefits this year. There's a safer solution -- direct deposit. City of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley has declared February "Go Direct" Month, to let people in our community -- our friends, neighbors and family members -- know they should take a simple step to protect themselves: switch to direct deposit. The numbers speak for themselves. When there's a problem with a Social Security payment, nine times out of 10, it is with a paper check, not a direct deposit.

People who currently receive federal benefits can easily make the switch to direct deposit through the Treasury's Go Direct campaign. It's free and only takes a few minutes to sign up. Simply call (800) 333-1795, or make the switch online at www.GoDirect.org.

Stephanie D. Neely Treasurer,

City of Chicago