You can ask the bank to hold the funds until final clearance - which can be quite long. Weeks or more.

Often if you really need to do that, you’re better off taking the check the bank it was drawn on, often having to open an account there first. Still can take quite awhile.

But before computers and electric communication, this was the best and fastest way, and since the vast majority of transactions are legitimate, it works.

Pratchett’s Going Postal is a decent look at the system.