Counterfeit Cashier's Checks: Counterfeit Cashier's Checks of BNC National Bank, Glendale, Ariz.

The above-named bank has reported that at least two variations of counterfeit cashier's checks using the bank's vendor routing number of 092005411 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a variety of up-front fee scams.

The counterfeit checks may be identified by the following traits:

Variation No. 1

• The check is light blue in color with a marbled background.
• The check contains a dark top border with the following security statement: “TO VERIFY AUTHENTICITY, SEE REVERSE SIDE FOR DESCRIPTION OF THE 13 SECURITY FEATURES.”
• A heat-sensitive shield is located in the bottom center portion of the check.
• The check does not contain the bank's telephone number of (701) 250-3000.
• The authorized signature appears as Clark Cooper or Heidi Schwantes.
• Remitter names may appear as Annette Blair, David Brandon, Raymond W. Hale, Hilbert McNeal, Donald Mitchell, Gary Moore, David A. Peter, Alfred E. Taylor, or Timothy White.

Variation No. 2

• The check is light blue in color with a marbled background.
• The check contains a dark top border with the following security statement: “THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK.”
• The authorized signature appears as Michael Jackson or Heidi Schwantes.
• Remitter names may appear as Sissy M. Lundstorm or Alfred E. Taylor.

All checks presented to date have been made payable in varying amounts up to $10,000.

Known scams include the following:

• Secret Shopper—Money Transfer Service
  Potential victims are sent a counterfeit check and told to deposit the funds into his or her bank account. The individual is then instructed to retain a small portion of the deposited funds as payment. The remaining amount is to be used for a small purchase at a well-known department store with the majority of funds to be used to survey the services of a money transfer service. Contact information pertaining to this scam may be [officebox374415@gmail.com] or a text-only number of (213) 935-6713.
• Secret Shoppers—Gift Card
  Potential victims are sent a counterfeit check and told to deposit the funds into his or her bank account. The individual is then instructed to retain a small portion of the deposited funds as a commission. Thirty dollars is to be used to make a small purchase at a well-known department store, with the majority of the funds to be used to purchase a number of gift cards. Once the cards are purchased, the potential victim is then instructed to send photographs of the card numbers to the scammers. Contact information pertaining to this scam may be Sean Walsh, Recruiting Department, Creative Image Associates [sean.walsh@creativeiimage.net].
• Online Auction
  Potential victims have posted items for sale in an online auction and are sent as payment a counterfeit check in an amount greater than the price of the item for sale. The scammer instructs the seller to deposit the funds into his or her bank account and immediately wire the overpayment portion to a third party.

For additional information and to verify the authenticity of cashier's checks drawn on BNC National Bank, please contact BSA Officer Janel Garrick by mail at 20175 N. 67th Ave., Glendale, AZ 85308; by telephone at (612) 305-2228; by fax at (612) 766-9828; or by email at jgarrick@bncbank.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.

Monica A. Freas
Director for Enforcement and Compliance