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Fictitious Notification Regarding the Release of Funds Supposedly Under the Control of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

March 18, 2019 / Source: OCC

Alert 2019-3

Subject: Fictitious Regulatory Agency Notification 
Date: March 15, 2019

Description: Fictitious Notification Attributed to Officials of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Fictitious Notification Regarding the Release of Funds Supposedly Under the Control of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

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

Consumers have reported receiving fictitious email messages, allegedly initiated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), regarding funds purportedly under the control of the OCC.

Any communication claiming that the OCC is involved in holding any funds for the benefit of any individual or entity is fraudulent. The OCC does not participate in the transfer of funds for, or on behalf of, individuals, business enterprises, or governmental entities.

Consumers have reported receiving email messages from the following email addresses, which are not associated with the OCC:  [[email protected]], [[email protected]], and [name@officeocc.com]. The communication may include a fictitious “Approval of Funds” letter. The perpetrators may request, among other data, bank account information, including bank statements, with the purported purpose of making a large dollar deposit into the potential victim’s account.

Consumers should not respond in any manner to any proposal supposedly issued by the OCC that requests personal account information, or that requires the payment of any fee in connection with the proposal. The OCC recommends that consumers file complaints with the following agencies, as appropriate: 

  • OCC: by email at [email protected]; by mail to the OCC’s Special Supervision Division, 400 7th St. SW, MS 8E-12, Washington, DC 20219; by fax to (571) 293-4925; or by calling the Special Supervision Division at (202) 649-6450.
  • U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General (OIG): by telephone at (800) 359 3898 or by visiting the OIG website.
  • Federal Trade Commission (FTC): by telephone at (877) FTC-HELP or, for filing a complaint electronically, via the FTC’s website.
  • National Consumers League (NCL): by telephone at (202) 835-3323 or by e-mail. To file a fraud complaint, visit the NCL fraud website.
  • 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 website 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).
  • 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.

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

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Special Supervision Division
400 7th St. SW, Suite 3E-218; MS 8E-12
Washington, DC 20219
Phone: (202) 649-6450
Fax: (571) 293-4925
www.occ.gov
[email protected]

For additional information regarding other types of financial fraud, please visit the OCC’s anti-fraud resources page.

 

Monica A. Freas
Director for Enforcement and Compliance

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