Method and system for verifying check images

1. A computer-implemented method for communicating electronic check images, performed by executing instructions on a data processor, the method comprising:

determining a hash value based, at least in part, on an electronic check image, the check image enabling generation of an image replacement document;

storing the hash value;

bundling the hash value with the electronic check image;

communicating the electronic check image and the hash value via a data communication network to a recipient device for verification of the electronic check image based, at least in part, on the hash value associated with the electronic image;

adding the hash value to a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) code to form a MICR message, the MICR code extracted from the electronic check image; and

communicating the MICR message via the data communication network to the recipient device separately from the electronic check image and the hash value, thereby enabling the recipient device to associate the received MICR code and the received electronic check image using the hash value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hash value comprises a sixteen byte number.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hash value comprises a first hash value and the recipient device verifying the electronic check image comprises:

determining a second hash value based, at least in part, on the received electronic check image; and

comparing the received first hash value and the second hash value to verify authenticity of the electronic check image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the hash value comprises storing the hash value in a volatile memory.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to:

determine a hash value based, at least in part, on an electronic check image, the check image enabling generation of an image replacement document;

store the hash value;

bundle the hash value with the electronic check image;

communicate the electronic check image and the hash value to a recipient for verification of the electronic check image based, at least in part, on the hash value associated with the electronic image;

add the hash value to a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) code to form a MICR message, the MICR code extracted from the electronic check image; and

communicate the MICR message to the recipient separately from the electronic check image and the hash value, thereby enabling the recipient to associate the received MICR code and the received electronic check image using the hash value.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the hash value comprises a sixteen byte number.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the hash value comprises a first hash value and the recipient verifying the electronic check image comprises software operable to:

determine a second hash value based, at least in part, on the received electronic check image; and

compare the received first hash value and the second hash value to verify authenticity of the electronic check image.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the software operable to determine the hash value based, at least in part, on the electronic check image comprises software operable to determine the hash value for the electronic check image at a capture source, the capture source generating the electronic check image.

9. An image capture system for communicating electronic check images comprising:

memory storing a plurality of electronic check images, each check image enabling generation of an image replacement document; and

one or more processors operable to:

determine a hash value based, at least in part, on at least one of the electronic check images;

store the hash value;

bundle the hash value with the electronic check image;

communicate the electronic check image and the hash value to a recipient for verification of the electronic check image based, at least in part, on the hash value associated with the electronic check image;

add the hash value to a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) code to form a MICR message, the MICR code extracted from the electronic check image; and

communicate the MICR message to the recipient separately from the electronic check image and the hash value, thereby enabling the recipient to associate the received MICR code and the received electronic check image using the hash value.

10. The image capture system of claim 9 , wherein the hash value comprises a sixteen byte number.

11. The image capture system of claim 9 , the hash value comprising a first hash value, the recipient verifying the electronic check image comprises the recipient operable to:

determine a second hash value based, at least in part, on the received electronic check image; and

compare the received first hash value and the second hash value to verify authenticity of the electronic check image.

12. A computer-implemented method for processing a check using an electronic check image, performed by executing instructions on a data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving via a data communication network an electronic check image, the check image enabling generation of an image replacement document;

receiving via the data communication network a hash value for the electronic check image;

using the data processing apparatus to verify the electronic check image using the hash value;

receiving via the data communication network a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) message separately from the electronic check image, the MICR message comprising the hash value and a MICR code extracted from the electronic check image; and

using the data processing apparatus to associate the received MICR code and the received electronic check image using the hash value.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

determining a second hash value based, at least in part, on the received electronic check image; and

comparing the received hash value and the second hash value to verify authenticity of the electronic check image.