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Alert 2008-30 | June 30, 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 counterfeit cashier’s checks issued in the bank’s name and using a correct routing number of 123300153 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with an Internet-based lottery scam.
Counterfeit items are similar to the authentic checks but may be identified by the following traits: checks may be green, blue, or pink in color with a marbled background and contain a dark border. The following security statement is printed within the top border: “THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK.”
Items presented to date have been made payable in the amounts of $2,990, $2990.80, $2,995, and $2,995.80, contain a remitter name of Tyson R. Robins, and are missing the bank’s telephone number of (509) 525-2000 in the top center portion of the instrument. Due to possible variations in appearance of the bank’s cashier’s checks and scams, it is suggested that officials of Baker Boyer National Bank be contacted to verify the authenticity of any of the bank’s official items, if received from an unknown or questionable source.
Correspondence related to this scam has been received by potential victims via email. The original email message indicates that the recipient’s email address was attached to a winning ticket number in a recent lottery held by the “Halifax Bank ATM CARD Winners International Programs.” Recipients are informed that he or she will receive his or her winnings via an ATM card. In order to have this ATM card processed, recipients are instructed to provide the sender, Mr. Daniel Tucker, with a variety of information, including: name, address, phone number, date of birth, and occupation.” Follow-up communications include information pertaining to the fees to be paid prior to the shipment of the ATM card. These fees include shipping costs, security fees, and tax. The recipient is then sent a counterfeit check which is to be deposited into his or her bank account and immediately wired to a Western Union location. The email address utilized by the scam artist has been “[dtucker.halifaxpayments@gmail.com].”
For additional information and guidance and to verify the authenticity of Baker Boyer National Bank’s cashier’s checks, please contact Abby Kentch, BSA/Operations Officer, 7 West Main, Walla Walla, WA 99362, by telephone at (509) 526-1209, by fax at (509) 526-1444, or via email at [kentcha@bakerboyer.com].
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.
/signed/
Richard C. Stearns Director for Enforcement & Compliance
