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Alert 2006-32 | June 29, 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 correct routing number of 101105354 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a lottery scam.
The counterfeit items have no resemblance to authentic items and are being sent to potential victims along with fictitious winning lottery notification letters. The counterfeit items are printed on standard check stock paper, which is red in color and contain the bank’s logo in the upper-left corner of the instrument. The bank’s name appears in the top-center portion of the check followed by “Andover, KS” and a telephone number of “1-888-263-7819,” which is not associated with the bank. The words “CASHIER’S CHECK” are located in the upper-left portion of the check, and the statement “THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT IS PRINTED RED – THE BACK CONTAINS A SIMULATED WATERMARK” is printed along the top border.
Counterfeit items may be dated 06/14/2006, contain a check number of 15413687 and be payable in the amount of $2,900. To date, the remitter information on all items appears as “PRUDENTIAL LOCATORS INC.”
The letters accompanying the counterfeit items contain the letterhead of “Prudential Locators Inc., Unclaimed Funds Resources and Payment Verification Center, Suite 400, 12596 Hwy #50, Bolton, ON L7E STS” and are signed by either Michael Watson or Judy Bradbury. The contact number provided is 1-905-598-2945 Ext. 200. Recipients are instructed to contact this number upon receipt of the notification in order for agents to authorize the release of remaining funds as well as to instruct the recipient on how to make payment for taxes and surcharges.
For additional information and guidance or to verify the authenticity of Equity Bank, N.A.’s checks, please contact Julie Huber, Executive Vice President, Equity Bank, N.A., 225 W. Central, Andover, KS 67002, by telephone at (316) 858-3100, by fax at (316) 630-8394, or via email at [julieh@equitywebbank.com].
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
