Alert 2006-46 | August 24, 2006

Counterfeit Cashier's Checks: Counterfeit Cashier's Checks of Savannah Bank, N.A., Savannah, New York

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; 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 022311117 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a lottery scam.

The counterfeit items can be identified by the following: the checks are printed on a blue-speckled paper and contain security statements within both the top and bottom borders. The following statement is printed along the top: "For security purposes, the face of this document contains a colored background and microprinting in the border." The following statement is printed along the bottom: "The reverse side of this document includes a unique check identity bar code and an artificial watermark - hold at an angle to view." A toll-free telephone number, printed as 1-800-963-2491, which is not associated with the bank, appears in the top-center portion of the instrument. Checks presented to date have been payable in the amount of $2,400.00, contain a remitter name of Kristyn M. Brocious, and are dated August 14, 2006.

Correspondence accompanying the counterfeit items is dated August 10, 2006, and displays the letterhead of "Switzerland Lottery." The letter notifies the recipient of his or her winning status and instructs the party to "...kindly deposit or cash the [$2,400.00] check to pay for tax and clearance fees." The recipient is further instructed to contact Kingston Financial Management Group, subsidiary of Switzerland Trust Corporation, 40 Melwood Ave, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 1A1, Telephone: 1-780-695-3962. Contact names provided to date include: Rachel James, Rita Jones, and Kathy Francis. Envelopes are postmarked out of Canada.

For additional information and guidance, please contact Thomas M. Endres, Security Officer, Savannah Bank, N.A., 1565 Main Street, Savannah, NY 13146, by telephone at (315) 365-6045, by fax at (315) 365-3137, or via email at [tendres@tds.net].

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/

Gerard Sexton, Acting Director
Enforcement & Compliance Division

Topic(s):

Consumer Protection