Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), U.S.A.: Alert Nos. 2008-15 and 2008-16

CIRCULAR LETTER NO.:  CL-2008-016

To            : ALL BANKS

Subject    : Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), U.S.A.:  Alert Nos. 2008-15 and 2008-16

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas received from the OCC copies of OCC Alert Nos. 2008-15 and 2008-16 both dated 29 February 2008 on the subject of fictitious official checks of the First National Bank, Graford, TX, and counterfeit cashier’s checks of Merchants National Bank, Hillsboro, OH, respectively.  The fictitious/counterfeit checks were said to have been used in scams reported in the United States.  The OCC Alerts include short descriptions of the checks and the modus operandi used in the scams.

Banks are advised to take necessary precautionary measures to ensure that their offices and/or facilities are not used in any attempt to negotiate these fictitious/counterfeit checks in the country.  Banks are also advised to report to the appropriate law enforcement agency/ies or provide additional information to the agencies named in the notices, incidents concerning these checks.

Attached for your guidance are copies of the said OCC notices.

NESTOR A. ESPENILLA, JR. Deputy Governor