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Alert 2008-15 | February 29, 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 fictitious official checks issued in the bank's name and using the bank's correct routing number of 111910762 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a mystery shopping scam.
These items are fictitious, as the First National Bank, Graford, does not issue official checks. Checks presented to date have been made payable in the amounts of $3,875 and $3,940 and may include a remitter name of "CSS." Due to possible variations in appearance between the bank's official items and scams, it is suggested that officials of the First National Bank, Graford, be contacted to verify authenticity of any of the bank's official items, if received from an unknown or questionable source.
The mystery shopper correspondence may contain the letterhead of "COMPARISON SHOPPING SOLUTIONS, PO Box 4800, Wildwood, NJ 08280, Tel: 1-905-920-6988, Fax: 1-888-380-8459." Note that the telephone number provided originates out of Hamilton, Ontario. The correspondence informs the recipient that he or she has been selected to be a secret shopper for the company. It explains that the enclosed check is to be used to purchase merchandise at various nationally known merchants as well as to transfer money using a nationally known wire service. The funds to be spent at each location are broken down by a specific dollar amount, with the shopper being allotted the remaining funds as payment for their mystery shopper service. The letter may be signed by Cathy Bradley.
Another mystery shopper letter in circulation with this particular scam may contain the letterhead of "G&M Research Services, P.O. Box 7895, New York, NY 10040; Fax: 1-866-291-4199; Tel: 1-778-316-1597." Note that the telephone number provided in this correspondence originates out of British Columbia. This letter may be signed by James Newsman.
For additional information and guidance and to verify the authenticity of the First National Bank, Graford, official items, please contact Cindy Singleton, Assistant Cashier/Operations, P.O. Box 580, Mineral Wells, TX 76068, by telephone at (940) 325-9821 or by fax at (940) 325-3871.
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
