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Alert 2008-1 | January 15, 2008
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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 two varieties of fictitious official checks are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a lottery scam. The first version appears to be issued in the bank’s name and uses a correct routing number of 111315794. The second version appears to be issued in the name of Compass Bank, but uses the routing number of First National Bank, 111315794.
These items are fictitious, as First National Bank does not issue official checks. Checks presented to date have been made payable in the amount of $3,700, are dated 12/20-22/07, and use a 6-digit serial number beginning within the "620000" series. Due to possible variations in appearance of the counterfeit items and scams, it is suggested that officials of First National Bank be contacted to verify authenticity of any of the bank’s official items, if received from an unknown or questionable source.
Correspondence accompanying the fictitious instruments may be dated "20/18/2007" and contain the letterhead of "Royalty Financial Investment Services, 4900 Royal Lane, Suite 301, Niagara Falls, ON L5X3H7." The letter alerts the recipient that he or she is the winner of an unclaimed prize associated with a lottery sponsored by Readers Digest and Publishers Clearing. The letter further states that the enclosed check is to be used to pay the applicable insurance process fees. Once the check is deposited into the recipient’s bank account, the recipient is instructed to contact, by a specific date, various claim agents, including Paul Martin, Nicole Wallace, Daniel Smith, Nancy Jones, Lisa Johnson, Frank Simmons, and Sharron Wunston. The contact telephone numbers provided may include 1-905-598-3471 or 1-905-598-3187, both of which originate in Brampton, Ontario. The letter may be signed by Lawrence Atkinson, International Claim "Cordinator."
For additional information and guidance or to verify the authenticity of First National Bank’s official items, please contact Bill Pittman, Chairman, 729 W 7th Street, Spearman, TX 79081, by telephone at (806) 659-5544, by fax at (806) 659-5040, or via email at [execnotice@fnbspearman.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.
Richard C. Stearns Director for Enforcement & Compliance
