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Alert 2007-40 | June 21, 2007
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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 075901516 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a lottery scam.
The counterfeit checks resemble the authentic items but may be identified by the following: the instruments are green in color and contain the following security statement in the top border: "THIS CHECK IS VOID WITHOUT A COLORED BORDER AND Background PLUS A KNIGHT & FINGERPRINT WATERMARK ON THE BACK. HOLD AT AN ANGLE TO VIEW." The following statement follows the second authorized signature line: "SIGNATURE AREA CONTAINS..." The counterfeit items are missing the following features on the face of the check: the bank's sailboat logo, the wording "A Division of the American National Bank," and the security padlock icon above the "Authorized Signatures" lines. In addition, the counterfeit items do not include the heat-sensitive icon on the back of the instrument.
Items presented to date have been made payable in the amount of $3,750.00, include a remitter name of Karen Berger, and contain a photocopied signature of bank employee Leah McPheron. Due to possible variations in appearance of the counterfeit items, bank officials are encouraged to contact The American National Bank of Beaver Dam to verify the authenticity of the item that is being presented.
Correspondence accompanying the counterfeit items may contain the letterhead of "Odyssey Gaming Corporation, Sponsor: Readers Digest, Publishers Clearing House and Online Games, 15 Lindberg Bay, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802." The letter alerts the recipient that he or she is the winner of an unclaimed prize and instructs the recipient to contact claims agent Mr. Robert Bell at 1-705-770-3985 by a specific date or the money will be forfeited. Note that this is number originates in Canada. The letter further states that the enclosed check is to be used "...to pay for the applicable taxes on the winnings..." and that the amount is to be paid using either Moneygram or Western Union. The letter may be signed by Clyde Conner, Promotion Manager.
For additional information and guidance, please contact Mark Heuer, Security Officer, 115 Front Street, Beaver Dam, WI 53916, by telephone at (920) 885-2705, by fax at (920) 885-2709, or via email at [mheuer@anbnet.com].
Consumers who receive counterfeit or fictitious items and associated material should file complaints with the following agencies, as appropriate:
Additional information concerning this matter that should be brought to the attention of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) may be forwarded to
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Special Supervision Division 400 7th St. SW, Suite 3E-218; MS 8E-12 Washington, DC 20219 Phone: (202) 649-6450 Fax: (571) 293-4925 www.occ.gov occalertresponses@occ.treas.gov
For additional information regarding other types of financial fraud, please visit the OCC's anti-fraud resources page.
/signed/
Richard C. Stearns Director for Enforcement & Compliance
