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Alert 2006-7 | February 9, 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 fictitious routing number of 044015543, are being presented for payment. These checks, along with fraudulent lottery claim letters signed by Diana Gardner from "STRIKE FIVE MEGA LOTTO," are purportedly being mailed from 2200 5th Avenue, Seattle, Washington, 98401; Tel/Fax: 1-416-732-4615. To date, all checks have been presented for payment at various banks located in the State of California.
The counterfeit checks may be identified by the following: a standard check stock of unknown color with an imprinted strip at the top of the instrument, which reads: "THIS CHECK IS VOID WITHOUT A RED & BLUE BORDER AND BACKGROUND PLUS A KNIGHT & FINGERPRINT WATERMARK ON THE BACK. HOLD AT ANGLE TO VIEW." The bank's name appears in the top-center portion of the check with a fictitious logo with the letters "NB" encircled in a large font letter "C." An address of "102 W 18th Street, Cameron, TX 76250" appears below the bank's name. The "Purchaser" line, which appears in the upper-left portion of the check may read "ALLSTATE INSURANCE INC.," and the check may be payable in the amount of $3,500. The words "CASHIER'S CHECK" appear in the lower-left portion of the instrument followed by a Notice to Customers. The following statement appears below the "Authorized Signature" line: "SIGNATURE AREA CONTAINS A KNIGHT & FINGERPRINT CHECK WORDING."
Authentic cashier's checks issued by the bank are green and black in color, contain a designed border with a security lock logo, and security statement on the right side. The bank's logo of an enlarged letter "C" containing stars and stripes appears to the left of the bank's name in the top-center portion of the instrument. The city names of Cameron, Rockdale, Taylor and Giddings appear below the bank name. A remitter line appears in the upper-left section of the check, and a date line appears in the upper-right section. The "Notice to Customers" appears in the bottom-left portion of the instrument directly above the words "CASHIER'S CHECK."
You can verify the authenticity of Citizens National Bank's cashier's checks by contacting Jeannine Dohnalik, senior vice president, 118 S. Houston, PO Drawer 111, Cameron, TX 76520, by telephone at (254) 697-6653, by fax at (254) 697-6504, or via email at [jdohnalik@cnbanktexas.com].
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.
Brian C. McCormally Director for Enforcement & Compliance
