Target will no longer accept personal checks

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Better pull out your checkbook one last time. Target will no longer accept personal checks.

According to the Associated Press, as of July 15, the Minneapolis-based retailer will no longer accept the form of payment. This puts personal checks on a list of obsolete technology, like rolodexes or fax machines.

Citing “extremely low volumes” of customers still writing checks to the rise of credit and debit cards and “buy now, pay later services. Target also says the Target Circle membership program has been more successful recently, adding to the decline of personal checks.

“We have taken several measures to notify guests in advance,” a company statement said.

Consumers have written checks less and less often since the mid 90’s. ATM machines, debit cards, online banking and mobile payment systems like Cash App, Venmo and Apple Pay have become much more popular.

Americans have overwhelmingly switched from checks to debit/credit cards in the last several decades. Americans wrote 3.4 billion checks in 2022, down from nearly 19 billion checks in 1990. The Federal Reserve also says it has reduced its national check processing centers from 45 to one.

Check fraud has also made consumers shy away from writing checks, with the AP saying check fraud is being fueled by organized crime that is forcing small businesses and individuals to take additional safety protections and to stop sending checks through the mail.

The decision by Target leaves Walmart, Macy’s and Kohl’s as a few national retailers that will accept personal checks. Aldi and Whole Foods Market previously stopped taking checks.

With the rise of online payment apps and systems, many young adults can say they have never written a check.

Do you still write personal checks? Let us know in our poll and in the comments on our Facebook page.