An official website of the United States government
Alert 2006-15 | March 22, 2006
Share This Page:
Chief Executive Officers of All National Banks; All State Banking Authorities; Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Conference of State Bank Supervisors; Deputy Comptrollers (districts); Assistant Deputy Comptrollers; District Counsel and All Examining Personnel
The above-named bank has reported that counterfeit official checks issued in the bank’s name and using a routing number of 0611196000 are being presented nationwide for payment in connection with an up-front fee lottery scam. The counterfeit checks are mailed to potential victims with a letter notifying the recipient that he or she has won a drawing sponsored by either the “Australia Sweepstake Lottery / International Programme” or “Sweepstakes Lottery / International Program.” The letters are signed by Cando-Lisa Jones, General Manager, and provide a contact name of Michael Mueller with a telephone number of 1-866-210-6796.
The counterfeit checks may be identified by the following: a standard check stock that is blue and white in color. The bank name “Unity National Bank” is located on one line in the top-center portion of the check followed by “Cartersville GA 30120” on the next line. The following statement is printed in royal blue along the top border of the item: “THE FACE OF THIS CHECK IS PRINTED BLUE – THE BACK CONTAINS A SIMULATED WATERMARK.” An incorrect fractional routing number of “84-080/611” appears to the right of the date, the routing number located at the bottom of the check “0611196000” contains one extra zero, and a security lock logo is located in the bottom-right area of the instrument. All counterfeit items presented to date contain the name of Interstate Management Co, LLC in the remitter section, are dated 02/22/2006, and are made payable in the amount of $4,800.49.
Authentic official checks issued by the bank are blue in color. The name, address, and telephone number are located in the top-center portion of the instrument and take up five lines of space. The dedicated areas to complete for remitter–date, pay to the order of, amount, and authorized signature–are underscored. The section indicating the numeric dollar amount is enclosed in a rectangular-shaped box.
For additional information and guidance or to verify the authenticity of Unity National Bank’s official checks, please contact Hazel Temples, Security Officer, Unity National Bank, 950 Joe Frank Harris Parkway SE, Cartersville, Georgia 30121, by telephone at (770) 387-3019, by fax at (678) 721-4419, or via email at [htemples@unitynationalbank.com]. The bank’s Website can be found at www.unitynationalbank.com]. Additional information concerning this matter that you believe should be brought to the attention of the OCC may be forwarded to:
Email: occalertresponses@occ.treas.gov Mail: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Enforcement & Compliance Division, MS 8-10 250 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20219 Fax: (202) 874-5301 Internet: https://www.occ.gov
For additional information regarding other types of financial fraud, please visit the OCC's anti-fraud resource page.
/signed/
Brian C. McCormally Director for Enforcement & Compliance
