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Alert 2006-42 | August 10, 2006
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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; Director, Office of Thrift Supervision; 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 cashier’s checks issued in the bank’s name and using a correct routing number of 082001247 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a lottery scam.
While the counterfeit items have a strong resemblance to the authentic checks, the counterfeit items can be identified by the following: a dark border at the top of the instrument contains a security statement that reads “THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK.” In addition, the top border contains rounded corners which drop off toward the sides of the check.
Correspondence accompanying the counterfeit items contains the letterhead of “British International Lotto, 11500 New Cross Road, London SE 16, England” and is signed by James Langford, Prize Director. The letter alerts recipients of their winning status and provides instructions to contact their agent, Elsie Fingate of Apex Financial Company at 011-44-7717-146-335 or via email at [lottoinquiries@yahoo.com]. This entity represents itself as a subsidiary of British Lotto Corporation.
For additional information and guidance, please contact Mike Shepard, Security Officer, Metropolitan National Bank, Metropolitan Tower, 425 W Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, by telephone at (501) 377-7635, by fax at (501) 377-7640, or via email at [mshepard@metbank.com].
Email: occalertresponses@occ.treas.gov Mail: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Special Supervision Division, MS 6-4 250 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20219 Fax: (202) 874-5214 Internet: https://www.occ.gov
For additional information regarding other types of financial fraud, please visit the OCC's anti-fraud resource page.
/signed/
Daniel P. Stipano Deputy Chief Counsel
