Fraudulent Cashier’s Checks; Fictitious Bank: Fraudulent Cashier’s Checks Drawn on a Fictitious Bank – Northridge Bank, Austin, TX

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has been notified by various national banks and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) that fraudulent cashier’s checks bearing the name of Northridge Bank and using routing numbers of both active and retired financial institutions are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with an Internet-related Nigerian check fraud scam. The checks are purportedly being mailed to persons who have posted their resumes on the CareerBuilders.com Website.

Northridge Bank is neither a state nor federally chartered financial institution in the United States; therefore, any check bearing that name is to be considered fraudulent.

The checks may contain a logo of the letters “NB” in the upper-center portion of the instrument, with the words “Northridge Bank” to the right, followed by the location of either “Austin, Texas” or “San Antonio, Texas.” The phrase, “Notice to Customers,” appears in the upper-left corner of the check, and the words “CASHIER’S CHECK” appear along the left border. The checks may include the signature of a David Jaret. Please note that this signature also appears on counterfeit items reported previously in Alerts 2006-8, 2006-10, and 2006-22. Another logo generally used by this particular con artist group is the #1 inside of an image of the United States encircled by a globe.

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
Special Supervision Division, MS 6-4
250 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20219
Fax: (202) 874-5214
Internet: https://www.occ.gov

For additional information regarding other types of financial fraud, please visit the OCC's anti-fraud resource page.

/signed/

Daniel P. Stipano
Deputy Chief Counsel