Advanced check clearance system

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.

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.