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Alert 2006-4 | January 23, 2006
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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 counterfeit cashier’s checks, issued in the bank’s name and using a correct routing number of 122242173, are being presented for payment. The counterfeit checks differ from the authentic checks.
The counterfeit checks may be identified by the following: a standard check stock, which includes a logo of an anchor enclosed in a shaded rectangular box in the top-center portion of the check. The bank’s full name is printed in the top-left portion of the check followed by the words “Los Angeles Office www.northerntrust.com.” Appearing directly below the Website address is the bank’s actual logo of an anchor and rope enclosed in a circle with the words “Northern Trust” appearing to the right, and the words “Cashier’s Check” appearing in the bottom-left portion of the check. There are several similarities with the counterfeit items. Most counterfeit items are light green in color, dated December 29, 2005, made out in the amount of $3,800, include a Remitter name of Frederick Waweru, and use a 6-digit serial number in the 880000 series. Some of the items include a security statement in the top border of the check; others do not.
Authentic cashier’s checks issued by the bank are: white in color with fine green lines, include a green border around the entire item and contain a security watermark. The bank’s anchor logo (anchor with rope enclosed in a circle) appears in the top-center portion of the check and is enclosed in a shaded box with rounded corners. The bank’s full name is printed in the top-left portion of the check followed by the words “Los Angeles Office www.northerntrust.com.” Appearing directly below the Website address is a smaller version of the bank’s anchor logo with the words “Northern Trust” appearing to the right. The words “Cashier’s Check” appear in the bottom-left portion of the check.
You can verify the authenticity of Northern Trust Bank of California, N.A.’s cashier’s checks by contacting Susan Turay, 2nd vice president, at 355 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90071, by telephone at (602) 468-2582, by fax at (602) 912-8696 or via email at [sjt2@ntrs.com]. In addition, Cheryl Dodge, vice president, may be contacted at (805) 884-4303.
Additional information concerning this matter that you believe should be brought to the attention of the OCC may be forwarded to:
Email: occalertresponses@occ.treas.gov Mail: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Enforcement & Compliance Division, MS 8-10 250 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20219 Fax: (202) 874-5301 Internet: https://www.occ.gov
For additional information regarding other types of financial fraud, please visit the OCC's anti-fraud resource page.
/signed/
Brian C. McCormally Director for Enforcement & Compliance
