Abstract: A device and method for validating a document having magnetic ink thereon after determining the existence of a document having magnetic ink thereon. The ink is magnetized and thereafter to a media reader sensor spaced from the document by a predetermined gap to verify the existence of a magnetic signal and rejecting documents without a magnetic signal. The magnetic signal is compared to a set of preexisting data to determine the existing of a signal to data match and validate only documents that have a match between the magnetic signal and pre-existing data. A set/reset sensor is preferably used to apply a signal to the magnetic ink on the document. A preferred predetermined gap is from about 0.25 mm to about 1.5 mm, and most preferred from about 0.5 mm to about 1.0 mm. Preferred comparators are microprocessors and preferred media reader sensors are anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors.