ome Bank of America customers now can receive and review high-quality digital images of their canceled checks almost instantaneously, and the service is expected to be available nationwide by the end of the year.

In the past, customers had to wait three or more days to receive photocopies of their checks. Now, digital check images that are 60 days old or less can be accessed in seconds.

Check imaging also affords B of A additional fraud detection capabilities. Signatures can be verified immediately by comparing them with signatures on picture-perfect digital images of canceled checks. If they don't match, they've got you!

B of A processes and clears more than 40 million checks and check-related items per day. With the new imaging technology, these items will be captured by digital cameras and stored at Viewpointe Archive Services, where they easily can be accessed if requested.

Viewpointe, established by B of A, IBM and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., facilitates the exchange of check images among banks, reduces industry check-processing costs and lays the foundation for consumers to retrieve digitized check images from the Web.

B of A anticipates that check-processing costs will be reduced by as much as 30 percent when the archiving service is fully implemented. In addition, customers will be able to view digital images of their checks through online banking.

"Digital check imaging provides a faster, more convenient, customer-friendly way for B of A customers to get their servicing needs fulfilled and to resolve issues with their accounts," said Milton H. Jones Jr., president of Bank of America Mid South.

"Implementing this new service is another way Bank of America continues to integrate technology into all of its delivery channels while providing customers with innovative ways to do their banking."

For more information, visit its Web site at www.bankofamerica.com.