Counterfeit Official Checks: Counterfeit Official Checks of BankUnited, N.A., Miami Lakes, Fla.

The above-named bank has reported that counterfeit official checks using a correct routing number of 031100209 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with various Internet-based scams.

The counterfeit checks do not resemble the bank’s authentic checks; the counterfeit items vary in appearance and may be identified by the following traits:

• The date, remitter, payee, and amounts may be handwritten.
• The branch number appears as "BR 0126."
• The ORIGINATOR appears as "0511."
• The following security statement may appear in both the top and bottom borders of the check:
  • "The face of this document has a colored background on white paper. The back of this document contains an artificial watermark. Hold at angle to view."
• One of the following security statements may appear in the top border of the check:
  • "This document has a colored background and micro printing, reverse side includes an artificial watermark."
  • "For security purposes, the border of this document contains micro printing."
  • "This document has a true watermark printed on the back. The front has a microprint signature line. Absence of these features will indicate a copy."

Counterfeit checks presented to date have been made payable in amounts between $350 and $9,500 and have contained one of the following remitter names: Carl Barclays, John Baxter, Peter Dodge, Stephanie Fernandez, Patrick Joe, William Johnson, Andrew Morgan, Remmy Nicholas, Phillip G. Peters, James Roland, Joseph Sambia, Anderson Stone, and Craig Woods.

For additional information and to verify the authenticity of official checks drawn on BankUnited, N.A., please contact Vice President and Fraud Investigations Supervisor Anna Vazquez by mail at 7825 NW 148th Street, Miami Lakes, FL 33016; by telephone at (305) 698-4364; by fax at (305) 818-1417; or by email at annavazquez@bankunited.com.

Consumers who receive counterfeit or fictitious items and associated material should file complaints with the following agencies, as appropriate:

• U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General (OIG): by telephone at (800) 359-3898 or by visiting the OIG website.
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC): by telephone at (877) FTC-HELP or, for filing a complaint electronically, via the FTC's website.
• National Consumers League (NCL): by telephone at (202) 835-3323 or by email. To file a fraud complaint, visit the NCL fraud website.
• Better Business Bureau (BBB): The BBB system serves markets throughout Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United States and is the marketplace leader in advancing trust between businesses and consumers. The website offers contact information for local BBBs, objective reports on more than 2 million businesses, consumer scam alerts, and tips on a wide variety of topics that help consumers find trustworthy businesses and make wise purchasing decisions.
• Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (to report scams that may have originated via the internet).
• If correspondence is received via the U.S. Postal Service, contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service by telephone at (888) 877-7644; by mail at U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Office of Inspector General, Operations Support Group, 222 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1250, Chicago, IL 60606-6100; or via the online complaint form.

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.

Ellen M. Warwick
Director for Enforcement and Compliance