Counterfeit Cashier’s Checks of The First National Bank, Vandalia, Ill.

Alert 2014-3

Counterfeit Cashier's Checks

Date: January 16, 2014

Description: The First National Bank, Vandalia, Ill.

Counterfeit Cashier's Checks: The First National Bank, Vandalia, Ill.

To: Chief Executive Officers of All National Banks and Federal Savings Associations; All State Banking Authorities; Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Conference of State Bank Supervisors; Deputy Comptrollers (Districts); Assistant Deputy Comptrollers; District Counsels; and All Examining Personnel

The above-named bank has reported that counterfeit cashier's checks using a correct routing number of 081205112 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with an online job opportunity scam.

While the counterfeit checks resemble the bank's authentic items, counterfeit items may be identified by several traits. Counterfeit checks are blue marbled in color throughout and contain the following security statement along with a padlock icon within the right-hand border: "Security Features Included. Details on Back." Within the "Notice to Customer" box in the top-center portion of the counterfeit check, a dash appears between "90" and "days."

Counterfeit checks presented to date have been made payable in the amount of $2,910.50 and include a purchaser name of Areli Ellsworth.

Potential victims are contacted via e-mail by Mannello Perez about the job opportunity and informed that they will receive two checks for $2,910.50 each. Once the checks are received, the recipients are to deposit one of the checks into their bank accounts. Within 24 hours, they are to use $2,410 of the deposited funds to purchase Moneypak debit cards at various retail stores. Once the Moneypak cards are purchased, the recipients are then instructed to reveal the security numbers on the cards and to e-mail them back to Perez at [email protected] or telephone them to Perez at either (415) 484-6953 or (347) 674-2318.

For additional information and to verify the authenticity of First National Bank's cashier's checks, please contact Accounting Officer Ingrid Andronis by mail at 432 W. Gallatin Street, P.O. Box 40, Vandalia, IL 62471; by telephone at (618) 283-5254; by fax at (618) 283-1692; or via e-mail at [email protected].

Consumers who receive a counterfeit or fictitious item and associated material should file complaints with the following agencies, as appropriate:

- Federal Trade Commission (FTC): by telephone at (877) FTC-HELP or, for filing a complaint electronically, via the FTC's Web site at http://www.ftc.gov/.

- Better Business Bureau (BBB): The BBB system serves markets throughout Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United States and is the marketplace leader in advancing trust between businesses and consumers. The Web site http://www.bbb.org/ offers contact information for local BBBs, objective reports on more than 2 million businesses, consumer scam alerts, and tips on a wide variety of topics that help consumers find trustworthy businesses and make wise purchasing decisions.

- Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (to report scams that may have originated via the Internet). Its Web site is http://www.ic3.gov/.

- If correspondence is received via the U.S. Postal Service, contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service by telephone at (888) 877-7644; by mail at U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Office of Inspector General, Operations Support Group, 222 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1250, Chicago, IL 60606-6100; or via the online complaint form at https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx.

Additional information concerning this matter that should be brought to the attention of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) may be forwarded to

See original table at: http://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/alerts/2014/alert-2014-3.html

For additional information regarding other types of financial fraud, please visit the OCC's anti-fraud resource at http://www.occ.gov/topics/consumer-protection/fraud-resources/index-fraud-resources.html.

Ellen M. Warwick

Director for Enforcement and Compliance