Counterfeit Cashier’s Checks: Counterfeit Cashier’s Checks of National United, Gatesville, Texas

The above-named bank has reported that at least three variations of counterfeit cashier’s checks using the bank’s routing number of 111904419 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with various online employment opportunity scams involving mystery shopping and automobile advertising wraps.

The counterfeit checks resemble the bank’s authentic items but may be identified by the following traits:

Variation No. 1

• The check is light blue with a marbled background.
• The Notice to Customer section in the upper left-hand corner is void of any punctuation.
• The following security statement appears in a dark blue top border: “THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK.”

Variation No. 2

• The check is light blue with a thin dark blue border.
• The Notice to Customer section in the upper left-hand corner is void of any punctuation.
• The following security statement appears in the top border: “WARNING: THIS DOCUMENT HAS SECURITY FEATURES IN THE PAPER.”
• A padlock icon and security statement are located within the right border.

Variation No. 3

• The Notice to Customer section in the upper left-hand corner is void of any punctuation.
• The following security statement appears in the top border: “FOR SECURITY PURPOSES, THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING IN THE BORDER.”
• The following security statement appears in the bottom border between padlock icons: “SECURITY FEATURES INCLUDED. DETAILS ON BACK.”

Checks presented to date have been made payable in amounts ranging from $750.99 to $4,108.11, with the majority bearing amounts under $3,000.

Known scams include the following:

Secret Shopper Money Transfer Service
There are two known letters circulating in regard to this scam. Potential victims of the mystery shopping scam have received correspondence accompanying the check, which contains the names of nationally known retail stores and money transfer services within the letterhead. The correspondence instructs the potential victims to confirm receipt of the packet by sending an email to either [task@retailadminresearch.com] or [msconductagent@gmail.com] as well as a text message to either (951) 468-5394 or (424) 444-3734. The recipient is further instructed to deposit the funds at his or her financial institution and to text the perpetrator at the above number to confirm the deposit. The letter informs the recipient to retain $400 for commission and $100 for gas/transportation. The majority of the funds are to be used to conduct three wire transfers to the perpetrators at a well-known retail store for the purported purpose of the victim surveying the services of the money transfer center located within the retail store. The following statement is contained within the letter: “Some of the security questions which can trip you include, but not limited to the following: If or when asked if you are a mystery shopper, answer NO. If or when asked if you know the recipients in person, answer YES.” The correspondence contains a point-of-contact name of either Carl Rajan or John Fisher of Corporate Research International.

Secret Shopper Gift Card
Potential victims of the gift card scam have received correspondence accompanying the counterfeit check, which contains the name of a nationally known retail store and the name of a well-known mobile device management and entertainment application. The correspondence instructs the potential victims to confirm receipt of the packet by sending a text message to (848) 667-7560. The recipient is further instructed to deposit the funds at his or her financial institution and to confirm the deposit by sending a copy of the deposit slip to the perpetrator. The letter instructs the recipient to retain $500 of the deposited funds for commission. The majority of the funds are to be used in three separate transactions purchasing $100- and $50-denomination gift cards at a well-known retail store for the purported purpose of the victim surveying the conduct of the sales representatives. Following the purchase of the cards, the potential victim is told to scratch the cards to reveal the card numbers and to send photos of each card to the perpetrator. The correspondence contains a company name of Corporate Research International and an email address of [assesment-results@outlook.com].

Automobile Wrap Advertising
There are two known emails circulating in regard to this scam. Each potential victim of the car wrap scam has received email correspondence confirming that he or she has been selected to advertise one of two nationally known beverage companies on his or her vehicle and that the counterfeit check has been mailed out to him or her. The potential victim is told to deposit the check into his or her bank account and send the perpetrator a copy of the deposit slip. The letter instructs the recipient to retain a small portion of the funds for his or her service providing automobile wrap advertising for the company. The victim is instructed to deposit the remaining balance into the perpetrator’s bank account for the purported purpose of paying decal specialists who will be in contact with details on performing the automobile wrap. Contact information contained within these emails may include the name of Derek Brown with an email address of Blessed Son [realblessing348@gmail.com] and a text-only telephone number of (254) 244-2376, or Kevin Bill with email addresses of [billxnavig23@googlemail.com] or [info.shopperinc.hrdept.2017@gmail.com] and telephone numbers of (510) 254-0383 or (510) 542-9265.

For additional information and to verify the authenticity of cashier’s checks drawn on National United, please contact BSA Officer Melissa Smith by mail at 905 E. Main Street, Gatesville, TX 76528, by telephone at (254) 865-2211, Ext. 1221, by fax at (254) 404-6047, or by email at Melissa.smith@nationalunited.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

Related Links

• Sample Money Transfer Secret Shopper Correspondence (PDF)
• Sample Gift Card Correspondence (PDF)
• Sample Automobile Advertisement Wrap Correspondence #1 (PDF)
• Sample Automobile Advertisement Wrap Correspondence #2 (PDF)