FinCEN Warns of Ongoing Financial Scams (03.25.11)

FinCen (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) recently sent out a reminder to the public to be on alert to ongoing financial scams that attempt to solicit funds from unsuspecting victims. They have received calls and reports of financial scams attempts conducted via the telephone. The caller represents themselves as an employee of FinCEN and ask for the victim by name, usually at the victim's home telephone number. The caller will identify an outstanding debt; this debt may be actual or bogus. The call will provide the victim with account, Social Security or other similar number and demand that immediate payment be made. The caller's knowledge of the victim's name, telephone number, account description and personal information serves to legitimize the caller.

FinCen has become aware of another financial scam conducted via email and telephone in which a person claiming to be a representative of the U.S. Department of Treasury of FinCEN informs them that they have received a large Treasury Department grant. To obtain the grant, the victim is instructed to provide bank account information and make some type of initial payment or donation.

Recipients of these calls, letters, or emails should not respond to such messages, and should not send money or provide any personal or confidential information. Those who believe that they are or have been a victim of the financial scam, should report this information to local, State, or Federal law enforcement authorities.

FinCEN does not send unsolicited request and does not seek personal or financial information from members of the public. FinCEN does not have authority to freeze assets or block funds transfers. In addition, correspondence may purport to be from an overseas office of FinCEN. FinCEN does not have any offices outside of the US.

Emails Claiming to Be From the FDIC (02.18.11)

On February 15, 2011 the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) issued a Consumer Alert fraudulent emails being sent that have the appearance of being sent from the FDIC. The fraudulent emails have "Important information for depositors of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation" in the subject line. The fraudulent emails also have the following quote: "this message was sent to you as you had indicated this e-mail address as a contact, by opening an account in your bank department."

Another statement made in these fraudulent emails is "In order to inform you about the news concerning current business activity of the Company on a timely basis, please, look through the last important changes in current regulations of endowment insurance procedures. Please, refer to more detailed information in the attached document."  The emails actually say that they are from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Investor Relations Department.

The name of the attached file is "FDIC_Document.ZIP", and the attachment should be considered potentially harmful and you should not open it. The FDIC does not send unsolicited emails.

Suspicious Calls Claiming to Be From FDIC (09.03.10)

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) issues a notice on September 1, 2010; that they have received several reports of suspicious telephone calls where the caller is claiming to be with the FDIC. The caller is telling people they are past due on loans and facing potential lawsuits and possible arrest if they don't make a payment. The loan the caller refers to may not exist. The caller tries to get sensitive information from the individual such as name, social security number, and date of birth. It has been reported that the caller sounds aggressive and threatening.

The FDIC typically does not make unsolicited phone calls and they do not assist banks and other financial institutions in collections. If you happen to get a call like this you should report it to the FDIC and if you happen to give out some sensitive information you may become a victim of identity theft. For more information on this issue and what to do if you give out your information, please check out the Alert posted on the FDIC's website.