WASHINGTON — The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has alerted financial institutions to counterfeit official checks from Century Bank, NA of Texarkana, Texas, and Park National Bank of Newark, Ohio.
In the Century case, the checks are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a lottery scam. The checks include the correct routing number, but may be green or tan in color with white flecks and contain a tan/brown border. In addition, the counterfeit items contain a security statement within the top border of the item. They may contain a remitter name of Henry Grant, be payable in the amount of $4,600, and display the date of 10/10/06. Accompanying correspondence may contain the letterhead of "Universal Securities and Payment Verification Center, 4777 Sherbrooke, Ottawa, Ont. H3X2B7″ and signed by Nathan Goldberg.
Regarding Park National Bank, the scam also concerns a lottery. The fake official checks use the correct routing number and may be printed on a green check stock, contain the bank's name and an address of "South 30th Street Branch" in the top-center portion of the item, include the Remitter line in the top-left section, and have the words "OFFICIAL CHECK" located in the bottom-left area of the check. A security statement appears inside of the darkened top border. The "Issued By" and "Drawer" statements are located in the lower-left corner.
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Most items presented have used a remitter name of Cassandra Thomas, have been made payable in the amount of $2,975, and have been dated Sept. 25, 2006. The correspondence accompanying the checks may contain the letterhead of "Horizon Lotto E-Payment Inc., PO Box 52381, St. Thomas, Virgin Island 00802," misspelling Virgin Islands. It is signed by John Hamstead, Director, Claims Management.
Additional information concerning these matters should be brought to the attention of the OCC at:
E-mail: [email protected]
Mail: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Special Supervision Division, MS 6-4
250 E Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20219
Fax: (202) 874-5214
Internet: http://www.occ.treas.gov –[email protected]
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