Final answer:
Check tampering is a fraudulent disbursement scheme where the perpetrator physically alters the check. The perpetrator may change the payee or the amount written on the check to benefit themselves. Access to a signature stamp is not required in a check tampering scheme. The correct answer is a. The perpetrator physically prepares the fraudulent check.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a check tampering scheme, the perpetrator physically prepares the fraudulent check by altering the payee or the amount. This is unique from other fraudulent disbursement schemes because it involves manipulating physical checks. The perpetrator does not need access to a signature stamp to conceal the crime, as the alteration is done on the check itself.
For example, the perpetrator may change the payee from a legitimate vendor to themselves, or they may increase the amount written on the check.
The answer option that best describes a check tampering scheme is (a) The perpetrator physically prepares the fraudulent check.
Unlike other schemes that might involve submitting false documents or unauthorized electronic transfers, check tampering involves the actual creation or alteration of a check. This means the fraudster must have physical access to the checks and is directly involved in forging signatures, changing the payee's name, or altering the check amount.