Advanced check clearance system

1. A check certification computer system, comprising:

a memory device; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory device, the at least one processor being configured:

to receive, from a check issuer computer system of a checking account holder at a payer financial institution, first check information comprising: a first routing number, a first account number, a first check number, and a first dollar amount associated with an issued check;

to receive, from a computer system of a payee financial institution, second check information comprising a second routing number, a second account number, a second check number, and a second dollar amount from a received paper check, at least one of the second routing number, the second account number, the second check number, the second dollar amount, or a combination thereof electronically read by an electronic device at the payee financial institution, and the check certification computer system, the check issuer computer system, and the computer system of the payee financial institution being independent of one another;

to verify that the first check information matches the second check information;

to send, to the computer system of the payee financial institution in response to the first check information matching the second check information, a verification message indicating that the first check information matches the second check information;

to inform the computer system of the payee financial institution that an entity has made an inquiry when the second routing number, the second account number, the second check number and the second dollar amount are received from the computer system of the payee financial institution;

to receive an indicator from the payer financial institution after the issued check has cleared in the payer financial institution; and

to inform the computer system of the payee financial institution after the issued check has cleared.

2. The check certification computer system of claim 1 in which the payer financial institution comprises a bank, credit union, trust company, insurance company, stockbroker, stock dealer, investment company or any organization that offers a checking account to a customer.

3. The check certification computer system of claim 1 in which the payee financial institution comprises a bank, credit union, trust company, insurance company, stockbroker, stock dealer, investment company, money services business, casino, or any organization that pays money to a person in response to receiving the paper check from the person.

4. A non-transitory computer readable medium tangibly storing program code on a check certification computer system, the program code comprising:

program code to receive, from a check issuer computer system of a checking account holder at a payer financial institution, first check information comprising: a first routing number, a first account number, a first check number, and a first dollar amount associated with an issued check;

program code to receive, from a computer system of a payee financial institution, second check information comprising a second routing number, a second account number, a second check number, and a second dollar amount from a received paper check, at least one of the second routing number, the second account number, the second check number, the second dollar amount, or a combination thereof electronically read by an electronic device at the payee financial institution, and the check certification computer system, the check issuer computer system, and the computer system of the payee financial institution being independent of one another;

program code to verify that the first check information matches the second check information;

program code to send, to the computer system of the payee financial institution in response to the first check information matching the second check information, a verification message indicating that the first check information matches the second check information;

program code to inform the computer system of the payee financial institution that an entity has made an inquiry when the second routing number, the second account number, the second check number and the second dollar amount are received from the computer system of the payee financial institution;

program code to receive an indicator from the payer financial institution after the issued check has cleared in the payer financial institution; and

program code to inform the computer system of the payee financial institution after the issued check has cleared.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4 , in which the payer financial institution comprises a bank, credit union, trust company, insurance company, stockbroker, stock dealer, investment company or any organization that offers a checking account to a customer.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4 , in which the payee financial institution comprises a bank, credit union, trust company, insurance company, stockbroker, stock dealer, investment company, money services business, casino, or any organization that pays money to a person in response to receiving the paper check from the person.

7. A computerized method to verify a check, comprising:

receiving, from a check issuer computer system of a checking account holder at a payer financial institution, first check information comprising: a first routing number, a first account number, a first check number, and a first dollar amount associated with an issued check;

receiving, from a computer system of a payee financial institution, second check information comprising a second routing number, a second account number, a second check number, and a second dollar amount from a received paper check, at least one of the second routing number, the second account number, the second check number, the second dollar amount, or a combination thereof electronically read by an electronic device at the payee financial institution, and the check issuer computer system, and the computer system of the payee financial institution being independent of one another;

verifying that the first check information matches the second check information;

sending, to the computer system of the payee financial institution in response to verifying the first check information matches the second check information, a verification message indicating that the first check information matches the second check information;

informing the computer system of the payee financial institution that an entity has made an inquiry when the second routing number, the second account number, the second check number and the second dollar amount are received from the computer system of the payee financial institution;

receiving an indicator from the payer financial institution after the issued check has cleared in the payer financial institution; and

informing the computer system of the payee financial institution after the issued check has cleared.

8. The method of claim 7 , in which the payer financial institution comprises a bank, credit union, trust company, insurance company, stockbroker, stock dealer, investment company or any organization that offers a checking account to a customer.

9. The method of claim 7 , in which the payee financial institution comprises a bank, credit union, trust company, insurance company, stockbroker, stock dealer, investment company, money services business, casino, or any organization that pays money to a person in response to receiving the paper check from the person.