According to an August 3, 2010 Bankrate.com article, people often adopt illegal financial habits under the guise that “everybody does it,” “I was just trying to help,” or “it seemed like a good idea at the time.” 6 of these common, yet illegal activities are;

1. Signing or endorsing someone else’s name on a check
2. Writing “bad” or insufficient fund checks
3. Lying on a home loan application
4. Using someone else's information to obtain credit
5. Copying U.S. Currency
6. Defacing U.S. Currency

Of these illegal habits, the practice of signing someone else’s name to a check is the most prevalent and often the most concerning to banks. In particular, endorsing or signing a check for a spouse is the most common of these illegal activities. While many people assume that signing for a spouse was a right they were granted when they signed their marriage license, this is simply not true and it is considered a forgery unless you have been granted a financial power of attorney for that person. For more information on these illegal habits, you can research the full article at www.bankrate.com.