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Crane FCU - Phishing
Attacks
(added 11-9-06) |
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Crane Federal Credit Union - a local Southern
Indiana bank was subject of a phishing attack on it's customer's
accounts. Below is the letter to it's customers:
Dear Crane Federal
Credit Union Member:
Our credit union has
recently been the victim of an email phishing attack. Emails with
various scenarios are circulating regarding a survey we are allegedly
conducting that will reward you with a cash payment if you participate.
The email asks you to click on a link that takes you to a web site that
has been setup to look like a valid Crane FCU web site. Please be
advised that this site is NOT
a Crane Federal Credit Union web presence. The survey site asks several
leading questions and then for information such as Online Banking login
and password and credit card information.
We are working with
the Federal Agencies and our security team diligently to take down the
suspect sites as quickly as possible. The Internet is a free market and
therefore you should review the guidelines we have posted on the web
site or contact a Member Service Specialist regarding security, privacy,
identity theft, and phishing. If you have already received the
fraudulent email and responded to it with the information requested,
please contact a Member Service Specialist at any Crane Federal Credit
Union location immediately
to protect against further repercussions of this phishing scam.
If you receive the
fraudulent email please delete it and clean your deleted items. In the
future if you receive any email from, or appears to be from Crane
Federal Credit Union that does not match up with our guidelines
regarding email and online security, please call a Member Service
Specialists prior to any action.
Additionally, you can
file formal complaints concerning any suspected fraudulent e-mail with
the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) at
www.ic3.gov. The IFCC is a partnership between the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National White Collar Crime
Center.
You may contact us
regarding this issue at your local branch or by calling toll free at
800-692-3274. Ask to speak to a member Service Specialist.
Thank You –
Dale Quakenbush
Crane Federal Credit Union
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Claim for
Supposed Lottery
Winnings
(added 6-21-06, updated 10-18-06) |
Victims will
receive a letter stating that they have unclaimed lottery winnings.
The letter tells the details such as ticket number, serial number of
the ticket, the date of the drawing, and the winnings amount.
Here are some
clues to tip you off on these types of scams:
Page 1
of Letter
(must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, click
here
to get it for FREE)
Example of Check
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Fraudulent Emails
from FDIC
(added 10-10-06) |
The
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has become aware of
fraudulent e-mails appearing to be from the FDIC. The e-mails ask
recipients to click on a hyperlink titled "Take the Corrective Action
– Implement the
LinkBank System."
When accessed, the hyperlink takes the individual to a "spoofed" FDIC
Web page. At that point, the individual is directed to provide online
banking information, including bank name, username, and password.
The
fraudulent e-mails appear in "memo format" and are purportedly from
"Russell A. Rau, Assistant Inspector General for Audits." The e-mails
include a "Subject" line that states: "Division of Supervision and
Consumer Protection's Risk-Focused Compliance Examination Process for
[recipient's name inserted] (Report No. 05-038)."
The FDIC
does not directly contact consumers in this manner, nor does the FDIC
request personal financial information from consumers. Financial
institutions and consumers should NOT access the link provided within
the body of these e-mails and should NOT, under any circumstances,
provide any personal financial information through this medium.
Financial
institutions and consumers should be aware that other similar e-mails
may be sent that falsely claim to be from the FDIC.
The FDIC
is attempting to identify the source of the fraudulent e-mails and
disrupt the transmission. Until this is achieved, consumers and
financial institutions should notify the FDIC at
alert@fdic.gov of any similar attempts to obtain personal
financial information.
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Fraudulent Cashier's
Checks from Old National Bank
(added 8-28-06) |
Old
National Bank, Evansville, Indiana,
has contacted the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to
report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the bank's name are
in circulation. The items are reportedly associated with various
lottery scams.
The
counterfeit items display the routing number
086300012,
which is assigned to Old National Bank. The counterfeit items
presented to date have been dark blue, green and purple in color and
are printed on versa stock paper. The items appear to have a security
statement along the top border. The items have neither a remitter
line, nor a security statement along the bottom. Correspondence
accompanying the counterfeit items alerts the recipients of their
winning status in either a sweepstakes or lottery. Copies of the
correspondence are not available at this time.
For
additional information or to verify the authenticity of the check,
please contact:
|
Mail: |
Corporate Security Department
Old National Bank
Evansville, Indiana |
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Phone: |
(866) 795-7474 |
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Fax: |
(812) 461-9313 |
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E-mail: |
security@oldnational.com |
Additional
information concerning this matter may be brought to the OCC's
attention:
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New Twist on
Canadian Lottery Scam
(added 8-28-06) |
Victims will
receive a letter advising them to go to a bank where they are a
non-customer and get a cash advance on a credit card, then go to
Western Union to wire the cash. By doing it at a bank where they
are a non-customer, it could lead to a large financial loss for
the victim.
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FDIC Fradulent E-mails |
FDIC
Consumer Call Centers in Kansas City, Missouri, and Washington, D.C.,
have begun receiving a large number of complaints by consumers who
received an e-mail that has the appearance of being sent from the
FDIC. The e-mail informs the recipient that Department of Homeland
Security Director Tom Ridge has advised the FDIC to suspend all
deposit insurance on the recipient’s bank account due to suspected
violations of the USA PATRIOT Act. The e-mail further indicates that
deposit insurance will be suspended until personal identity, including
bank account information, can be verified.
This
e-mail was not sent by the FDIC and is a fraudulent attempt to obtain
personal information from consumers. Financial institutions and
consumers should NOT access the link provided within the body of the
e-mail and should
NOT
under any circumstances provide any personal
information through this media.
The FDIC
is attempting to identify the source of the e-mails and disrupt the
transmission. Until this is achieved, consumers are asked to report
any similar attempts to obtain this information to the FDIC by sending
information to
alert@fdic.gov.
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FTC
Website - Consumer Awareness & Identity Theft |
The
Federal Trade Commission: Your National Resource for Identity Theft
How can someone steal your identity? Identity theft
occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name,
Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying
information, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes.
Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose
identities have been stolen can spend months or years - and their
hard-earned money - cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their good
name and credit record. In the meantime, victims may lose job
opportunities, be refused loans, education, housing or cars, or even get
arrested for crimes they didn't commit.
If you think your identity has been stolen, here's
what to do now:

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Contact the fraud departments of any one of the
three major credit bureaus to
place a fraud alert on your credit file. The fraud alert requests
creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making
any changes to your existing accounts. As soon as the credit bureau
confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will be
automatically notified to place fraud alerts, and all three credit
reports will be sent to you free of charge.
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Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered
with or opened fraudulently. Use the
ID Theft Affidavit when disputing new unauthorized
accounts.
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File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to
your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
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File your complaint with the FTC on the FTC's
Website. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used
by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint
also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems
victims are having so that
we can better assist you.
|
Links:
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2006/index.html
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheft.htm
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Fraudulent
Checks
(added 3-31-06) |
There are
fraudulent checks coming from a company called A-Mark Precious Metals,
Inc. The issuing bank is Bank of America in Los Angeles, CA.
These documents appear to be authentic. Upon checking
into them, the routing number is correct, but there is no account by
this number. Individuals scammed by this say that they were
asked to send $20 to A-Mark in order to win a sweepstakes.
Example of Fraudulent Check
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Fraudulent
Checks
(added 3-31-06) |
There are
fraudulent checks coming from a company called A-Mark Precious Metals,
Inc. The issuing bank is Bank of America in Los Angeles, CA.
These documents appear to be authentic. Upon checking
into them, the routing number is correct, but there is no account by
this number. Individuals scammed by this say that they were
asked to send $20 to A-Mark in order to win a sweepstakes.
Example of Fraudulent Check
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Fraudulent
Travelers Cheques
(added 3-20-06) |
There are
fraudulent travelers cheques coming from persons in South Africa.
These documents have areas that appear to be erasures on the
signature line and also on the MICR line. Upon calling Mastercard
Travelers Cheques to get verification, they told us the following
things: The serial number of the item was a valid travelers cheque;
however, the denomination is not the correct amount for this serial
number. The operator gave several other items to verify on the
cheque: The printed area should be raised (it was not); the
background image should disappear as I rub across it (it did not) and
a white circle on the back should have an image of a goddess when held
up to the light (there was not).
If in doubt of a fraudulent travelers cheque, please bring it to your
local bank or law enforcement office for verification.
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Beware - Jury Duty Scam
(added 2-27-06) |
NOTE:
If a prospective juror
has a question about a jury service call, contact your local county
courthouse.
This has been confirmed by
SNOPES (http://www.snopes.com):
__________________________________________________
Beware - Jury Duty Scam
Most of us take those summons for jury duty seriously, but enough
people
skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of scam has
surfaced. Fall for it and your identity could be stolen, reports CBS.
In this con, someone calls pretending to be a court official who
threateningly says a warrant has been issued for your arrest because
you
didn't show up for jury duty. The caller claims to be a jury
coordinator.
If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the
scammer
asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or
she can
verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Sometimes they
even
ask for credit card numbers. Give out any of this information and
bingo!
Your identity just got stolen.
The scam has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma,
Illinois, Colorado, and Texas.
This (scam) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation
over the
phone to try and bully people into giving information by pretending
they're
with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system have
issued
nationwide alerts on their websites, warning consumers about the
fraud.
Check it out here:
http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp
More resources:
http://www.mtlebanon.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BAC0ACB74-0DA8-4C07-B36C-3CAD4F89CEF2%7D
http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=3915794&nav=menu32_12
http://www.phha.org/watch/identyTheft/juryScam.asp
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Fraudulent
Checks from Frontier Bank
(added 2-24-06) |
Fraudulent checks from Frontier Bank are
circulating. The remitter is listed as Capital Financial.
They are for $7,400.00 and appear to be a genuine item.
Click below for an image of the check.
Image of Check
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Federal Reserve Bank
of San Francisco Check Alert (added
9-28-05) |
Fraudulent Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco checks are
circulating. Click below for the full article on this incident
in PDF form (you must have Adobe Acrobat
Reader to view,
click
here
to get it for FREE).
Full Article
|
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Police Warn About E-mail Scams - Local Article |
E-mail scam artists
are going "phishing" for consumers' personal-identity and
financial-account information, and in some cases are reeling in the
catch of the day.
(courtesy
of Linton Daily Citizen, 4/11/05 Edition; added 4-12-05)
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Fraudulent
Checks for Supposed Lottery
Winnings
(added 3-25-05) |
Victims of
this scam will
receive a letter concerning a lottery winning out of Canada. The
letter looks very official explaining that they are one of 17 people
who will share a 5.36 million prize making the amount to be received
in the future some $315,000. It is unclear what the $4,580
represents. The check is in the amount of $4,580 drawn on TCF
National Bank out of Burr Ridge, IL. From all appearances, it looks
real. It is on watermarked official check paper.
Bloomfield State
Bank has talked with someone from TCF and they did say that this fraud
has been going on a little more than one week.
Here are some
clues to tip you off on these types of scams:
Page 1
of Letter / Page 2 of Letter
(must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, click
here
to get it for FREE)
Image of Check
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Fraudulent
Money Orders |
Our
local postmaster has informed us that the US Postal Service is
experiencing a huge increase in fraudulent money orders. Many
Indiana banks have been victims. Generally the checks have been
for $900 or $1,000 and the customer (non-customer) has taken cash for
the checks. The customer may have accepted the check(s) as
payment in good faith and they too have been defrauded.
Below you will
find a link to
a sample brochure describing money orders that she sent to me. On
page two, it shows characteristics of an authentic money order.
Please study the characteristics of an original postal money order so
you might be able to detect a fraudulent item.
USPS Money Orders Reference Guide
(must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, click
here
to get it for FREE)
Article About Scam From Richard P. Weiss - USPS Employee
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FBI
Warns Of Worm |
The FBI warned last week of the Sober.k worm
virus, advising Americans to ignore the E-mail spoofs that pose as
they are from the federal government. Sober.k, which also
arrives as file attachments to messages offering free access to
X-rated videos of Paris Hilton and as security updates from Microsoft,
can appear with a variety of FBI-like addresses, including
"FBI@FBI.gov" and "police@fbi.gov."
The text of such messages
reads:
|
"Dear Sir/Madam, we have logged your IP address on more than 40
illegal Websites.
Important: Please answer our questions! The list of
questions are attached.
Yours faithfully,
M.
John Stellford
Federal Bureau of Investigation - FBI
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 2130
Washington, DC 20535
(202) 324-3000
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"These
E-mails did not come from the FBI," the agency said in a statement.
"Recepients of this or similar solicitations should know that the FBI
does not engage in the practice of sending unsolicited E-mails to the
public in this manner."
Earlier this month, the FBI shut down an E-mail system it used to
communicate with the public because of a possible security breach.
(added
3-7-05)
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Beware of Fraud |
There have been cases of local people
receiving calls from a man named Darin Matthews claiming to work for
Profile Protection Group. One person had caller ID and it
displayed the number as 202-360-4068, a Washington DC number.
Darin claimed that there was a bank draft issued out of the customer's
account and they needed to credit the money back.
If you receive calls
such as this, please DO NOT give out personal information about your
account. Being aware of fraudulent activity like this will aid
you in making the right decision if it happens to you.
(added
3-4-05)
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Beware of Scams, Fraudulent Checks and Money
Orders - Local Article |
Incidents of fraud are on the increase, and several area residents
have been scammed.
"It's hitting, and hitting hard, nationwide," said Lt. Det. Troy
Jerrell of the Linton Police Department. "It's astronomical, and it's
going to get much worse before it gets better."
(courtesy
of Linton Daily Citizen, 2/17/05 Edition; added 2-18-05)
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Don't Borrow Trouble |
Watch out for lending
scams. Or you could lose your 'Home Sweet Home'.
(added
1-7-05)
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Automatic Debit
Scams |
Fraudulent telemarketers have found yet
another way to steal your money, this time from your checking account.
Consumers across the country are complaining about unauthorized debits
(withdrawals) from their checking accounts.
(added
12-24-04)
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Counterfeit Checks/Money Orders |
There is a scam going around now through the mail that claims that you
can win money from Nigeria. The letter even has a very
real looking check. They want to know a lot of info to award you
the money. The check or money order has a routing number, etc on it.
It looks VERY real (much like below). Since the money order
below is from a real company and you can get ones that look exactly
like this at CVS, Wal-Mart, etc., many are falling into this scam and
finding out later that these are counterfeit. Keep a watch out
and if something looks suspicious, please do some research on the
item. If you suspect fraud, please notify us by
or call any branch location and notify your local law enforcement.
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E-mail Account Utilization Warning Scam |
Bloomfield State Bank is NOT sending
emails regarding E-mail accounts. These emails were NOT originated by
Bloomfield State Bank and warrant no validity. We recommend you disregard emails
of this nature and delete them immediately as they may contain a virus.
Bloomfield State Bank will always post
information regarding new policies and procedures on our website,
www.bloombank.com.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 800-319-6110 or by
email at .
If you have any questions regarding virus information we recommend you visit
your virus software provider's website or the
website
www.symantec.com.
Below is an example of an e-mail being sent:
Dear user of
Bloombank.com,
Some of our clients complained about the spam (negative e-mail
content)
outgoing from your e-mail account. Probably, you have been infected by
a proxy-relay trojan server. In order to keep your computer safe,
follow the instructions.
For details see the attached file.
Sincerely,
The Bloombank.com team
http://www.bloombank.com
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Fraudulent
E-mails Requesting Personal Information |
There are several different variations of this scam. Could
also be variations of bank names. These examples are from U.S.
Bank Most will ask you to click a link to give personal
information (SSN, PIN, etc...). DO NOT do this. Please
report any and all of these by .
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Credit Card Phone Scam |
This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA &
Mastercard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared
to protect yourself. Con artists are getting more creative every day.
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Counterfeit
Official Checks Scam |
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has recently
become aware that counterfeit official checks supposedly drawn on
insured financial institutions throughout the United States are being
used as part of a scam to defraud consumers. Consumers and financial
institutions have sustained financial losses from unwitting
participation in this type of fraudulent transaction.
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Bank ATMs Converted to Steal IDs of Bank
Customers |
The FBI and police across the country
are seeing cases of people having their entire bank accounts drained
in ATM scams. The criminals will attach a face plate onto an existing
ATM machine over the slot that you would swipe your card through. The
face plate will record your account and pin number, and the scammers
will just have to retrieve that information later.
In another version, the face plate
covers the entire screen of the ATM. They will sometimes even create
a sign that says that "We are testing out a new system, so your screen
options may have changed" so that you are not quite as alarmed when
the machine does not work like it should. When you enter your PIN
number, the ATM will appear to reject and "eat" your card. The
scammers will later come and retrieve both your card, and the PIN
number you entered on their fake touch screen.
For lost or stolen ATM/Debit cards
1-800-500-1044
For Lost or Stolen Élan (credit) cards 1-800-558-3424
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| FDIC And FBI
Investigating Fraudulent Emails: |
The email informs the
recipient that Department of Homeland Security Director Tom
Ridge has advised the FDIC to suspend all deposit insurance on
the recipient’s bank account due to suspected violations of
the USA PATRIOT Act. The email further indicates that deposit
insurance will be suspended until personal identity, including
bank account information, can be verified.
This email was not sent by the FDIC or
Bloomfield State Bank and is a fraudulent attempt to obtain personal
information from consumers. Consumers should NOT access the link
provided within the body of the email and should NOT under any
circumstances provide any personal information through this media.
Please Notify Bloomfield State Bank, forward an email to us at
and visit the FDIC's Press Release:
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2004/pr0604.html
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| Fraudulent Email
Concerning Bloombank.com |
Bloomfield State Bank is NOT sending
emails regarding Internet Billing Notices and Bloomfield State Bank will NOT
suspend your internet banking service. These emails were NOT originated by
Bloomfield State Bank and warrant no validity. We recommend you disregard emails
of this nature and delete them immediately as they may contain a virus.
Bloomfield State Bank will always post
information regarding new policies and procedures on our website,
www.bloombank.com.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 800-319-6110 or by
.
If you have any questions regarding virus information we recommend you visit
your virus software provider's website or the
website
www.symantec.com.
Below is a version of the fraudulent email being sent:
Subject: Billing Notice From
bloombank.com
*** bloombank.com 's Billing dpt
notice ***
Internet Billing Notice
Please press "open" and read the attached Billing Notice.
Note if you do not read this within 24 hours we at bloombank.com regret to
inform you we will have to suspend internet service
Below is a version of the fraudulent email being sent:
Subject: Warning about your e-mail account.
Dear user, the management of Bloombank.com mailing system wants to let
you know that,
Your e-mail account will be disabled because of improper using in next
three days, if you are still wishing to use it, please, resign your
account information.
For details see the attached file.
In order to read the attach you have to use the following password:
27051.
Sincerely,
The Bloombank.com team
http://www.bloombank.com
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