Positive Pay: A Step‑by‑Step Guide to Preventing Payment Fraud for Your Business

• Prevents check fraud by blocking altered, counterfeit, or duplicate checks.
• Stops unauthorized ACH debits when paired with ACH filters or blocks.
• Gives you control over which payments clear your account.
• Reduces financial losses by catching suspicious items before money leaves.
• Strengthens internal controls and supports audit/compliance requirements.
• Speeds up fraud detection with real-time exception alerts.
• Improves cashflow accuracy because only verified payments post.
• Provides peace of mind knowing your disbursements are protected.

How Positive Pay Works

1. Set up the service
   Enroll your business in check Positive Pay with RCU and select file format, cut off times, and user access.
2. Issue checks and upload a file
   Write checks as usual, then upload an "issued check" file to RCU with check numbers, dates, amounts, and sometimes, payees.
3. RCU receives checks for payment
   When a check is presented at a branch, ATM, or through clearing, our system compares it to your uploaded check file.
4. System matches or flags items
   • Match: If the check number, amount, and other details line up —the check is paid.
   • No match or missing from file: The item becomes an “exception” and is held for your review.
5. Review your exceptions
   Log in to your online banking portal, see the exception items, and choose to pay or return each one before the deadline.
6. RCU processes your decisions
   Approved checks are paid; rejected ones are returned unpaid, helping block counterfeit, altered, or unauthorized checks.

1. Define your ACH rules
   Work with RCU to set up ACH filters/blocks—such as allowed companies (originators), dollar limits, or blocking all debits except approved ones.
2. ACH transactions hit your account
   When an ACH debit request comes in, our system checks it against your rules (e.g., “Is this from an approved vendor?” “Is it under the limit?”).
3. System allows or flags items
   • Allowed: If the transaction fits your rules, it posts to your account.
   • Not allowed: It’s flagged as an exception or automatically blocked, depending on how you set it up.
4. Review ACH exceptions (if enabled)
   For flagged items, you can log in and decide whether to approve a one time payment or reject it.
5. Final posting or return
   Approved exceptions post to your account; rejected ones are returned, helping prevent unauthorized electronic withdrawals.