Alert 2002-3
OCC Alert
Subject: Identity Theft
Description: Fictitious IRS Forms and Bank Letters
Date: April 5, 2002

TO:	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; Conference of
State Bank Supervisors; Deputy Comptrollers (districts);
Assistant Deputy Comptrollers; District Counsel and
Examining Personnel

RE:	WARNING--Circulation of Fictitious IRS Forms
and Bank Letters

Attached are samples of a fictitious document that is
not a genuine IRS Form and a fraudulent letter addressed
to a bank customer purporting to be from the customer's
bank.  

Some of your customers may be the unwitting subjects of
a new fraud scheme that uses fictitious IRS Forms and
fraudulent bank correspondence.  These incidents are
not limited to the customers of small community banks.
Documents like those attached are being circulated
nationwide in an attempt to steal your customer's
identity and money by having your customer disclose
personal and banking information.  Accordingly, when
the perpetrator of the fraud contacts your bank in
person, telephonically or through electronic means,
they have all the necessary customer information to
appear credible.

You should advise any of your customers that have
filled in and returned the fictitious form via the fax
number, mail service, or any other means to promptly
notify all financial institutions with whom they do
business.  We also suggest that you advise your
customers to immediately do the following: 

1.  Contact the fraud department of each of the three
major credit bureaus and report that his/her identity
has been stolen.  Also, consider placing a "fraud alert"
on your file and request that no new credit be granted
without prior approval.



Address  Equifax         Experian        Trans Union
         P.O. Box 740241 P.O. Box 2104   760 Sproul Road
         Atlanta, GA     Allen, TX 75013 P.O. Box 390
         30374-0241                      Springfield, PA
                                         19064-0390 

Order    1-800-685-1111  1-888-EXPERIAN  1-800-916-8800 
Credit                        (397-3742)
Report

Report   1-800-525-6285  1-888-EXPERIAN  1-800-680-7289
Fraud                         (397-3742)


2.  For any accounts that have been fraudulently
accessed or opened, contact the security department
of each affected creditor or financial institution. 
Consider closing these accounts.  Also, on any new
accounts you open, consider using a password, but do
not use your mother's maiden name. 

3.  File a report with your local police department
or the police where the identity theft took place.
Retain a copy of the police report in case your bank,
credit card company, or others need proof of the crime
at a later date.

4.  Contact the Internal Revenue Service to report the
incident using the following toll-free hotline number:
1-800-829-0433.

If a customer has received this fictitious form but
did not complete and return it, any information which
they have concerning this matter should be brought to
the attention of the Internal Revenue Service at the
same toll-free number listed above.

Additional sources of information for your customers
on what to do if they are a victim of identity theft,
and the precautions to take to prevent becoming a
victim, can be found at the Federal Trade Commission's
Web site: 

	http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/victim.htm

and the OCC's Web site:

	http://www.occ.treas.gov/idtheft.pdf

If you have additional questions, please contact
the supervisory office responsible for your bank or:

Mail:	Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
	Enforcement & Compliance Division
	250 E Street, SW, Washington, DC   20219
Fax:	(202) 874-5301
Internet:	http://www.occ.treas.gov
E-mail:	occalertresponses@occ.treas.gov



Brian C. McCormally
Director
Enforcement & Compliance Division

Attachments: http://www.occ.treas.gov/ftp/alert/2002-3a.pdf
             http://www.occ.treas.gov/ftp/alert/2002-3b.pdf