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Alert 2006-5 | January 24, 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 064201324, are being presented for payment. The counterfeit checks differ significantly from authentic checks issued by the bank.
The counterfeit checks may be identified by the following: a standard green check stock with a dark green border and a gold seal in the middle of the check. The bank’s logo of a red, white, and blue square containing a white star appears in the top-left portion of the check with the bank’s name “FIRST TENNESSEE” printed directly beneath the logo. The words “CASHIER’S CHECK” are located in the top-center portion of the check with the check number appearing to the right preceded by the abbreviation “No.” The following statement appears within the bottom border of the instrument: “THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS SECURITY FEATURES - SEE REVERSE - CE DOCUMENT CONTIENT DES CARACTERISTIQUES DE SECURITE – VOIR A LENDOS.” The Corporate Controller’s authorized signature area is located in the bottom-right portion of the check and contains an actual signature line. All checks presented to date are payable in the amount of $3,975.00, use a date of either 01/07/2006 or 01/08/2006, show the remitter as Agnes Lawson, and indicate they were issued from Center #7274. Additionally, all checks have an eight-digit serial number, and are issued in the series beginning with “895.”
Authentic cashier’s checks issued by the bank are light blue in color with a white stripe and star across the item. The bank’s logo is located in the top-left portion of the check with the bank’s name “FIRST TENNESSEE” printed directly to the right. The words “CASHIER’S CHECK” are located in the top-center portion of the instrument, and the check number, located in the top-right corner is not preceded with any letters. The phrase “Center #” appears in the bottom-left portion of the check, and the Corporate Controller’s authorized signature area does NOT contain an actual signature line.
You can verify the authenticity of First Tennessee Bank, N.A.’s cashier’s checks by contacting Travis Wright, Corporate Security, at 165 Madison Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38101, by telephone at (865) 971-2474, by fax at (856) 971-2786, or via email at [tewright@firsthorizon.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.
/signed/
Brian C. McCormally Director for Enforcement & Compliance
