Editing Check verification service (section)

===Merchant funds verification===
Often called "verifying funds" or "merchant funds verification", it was common practice until the mid-2000s that any business or individual could call the bank where the check was drawn and ask for check verification. The bank would ask for the account number, the name on the check, the amount and the check number and just look up the account.

Due to banks issuing privacy policies<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cudenver.com/home/privacy |title=Privacy Policy :: Credit Union of Denver |accessdate=2010-01-28 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103005856/http://www.cudenver.com/home/privacy |archivedate=2010-01-03 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bankofamerica.com/privacy/pdf/eng-boa.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2010-01-28 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202121741/http://www.bankofamerica.com/privacy/pdf/eng-boa.pdf |archivedate=2007-02-02 }}</ref> designed to protect identity and fraud, telephone merchant funds verification by calling the bank directly is now rare for any bank or [[credit union]] to offer this service.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://banking.about.com/od/checkingaccounts/a/verify_funds.htm|title=How Can You Tell if a Check is Going to Bounce?|access-date=2010-01-28|archive-date=2010-03-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324130041/http://banking.about.com/od/checkingaccounts/a/verify_funds.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Some banks still offer merchant funds verification, while others are limiting the information they will provide to telling you if the account is open with a positive balance, only.

Other banks provide this service as a pay-per-call, or offer bank validation for a fee. The majority of banks do not provide any direct telephone account verification.