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Alert 2014-27 | September 4, 2014
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Chief Executive Officers of All National Banks and Federal Savings Associations; All State Banking Authorities; Chair, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Conference of State Bank Supervisors; Deputy Comptrollers (Districts); Assistant Deputy Comptrollers; District Counsels; and All Examining Personnel
The above-named bank has reported that counterfeit cashier’s checks using a correct routing number of 111901519 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a mystery shopping scam.
The counterfeit checks resemble the bank’s authentic checks; the counterfeit items, however, may be identified by the following traits:
Counterfeit checks presented to date have been made payable in varying amounts between $1,240 and $3,870. The counterfeit checks contain a variety of remitter names and include a branch number of 1006 and an originator code of B47SAMHAI.
The correspondence related to the mystery shopping scam is attached to this alert and is signed by William McKnight and contains email addresses of [willmcknight0@yahoo.com], [mcknight.surveygroup@yahoo.com], and [mcknight.surveygroup@outlook.com].
The attached correspondence provides instructions for the mystery shopping assignment. Recipients are assigned to evaluate a retail store of their choice that sells Green Dot Money Pak cards. Once the Money Pak Cards are purchased, the 14-digit numbers are to be immediately scanned and sent to the email addresses listed above. Additionally, the correspondence requests that recipients purchase a cashier’s check from their own financial institutions in the amount of $20 and have it made payable to a bogus charity called “The Orphan Coalition.” The check is then to be scanned to the email addresses provided above. These checks will be used in future counterfeit scams.
For additional information and to verify the authenticity of cashier’s checks drawn on the American National Bank of Texas, please contact the bank’s fraud department by mail at P.O. Box 40, Terrell, TX 75160; by telephone at (800) 837-6584; or by fax at (214) 863-6647.
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.
Ellen M. Warwick Director for Enforcement and Compliance
