A recent alert warns of a scam involving emails purportedly from a federal banking regulator about funds the agency is holding.
The alert, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), says consumers have reported receiving fictitious email messages, allegedly initiated by 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 said in the alert, issued Friday (March 15). “The OCC does not participate in the transfer of funds for, or on behalf of, individuals, business enterprises, or governmental entities.”
The OCC says consumers have reported receiving email messages from the following email addresses, which are not associated with the OCC: [office2comptroller90@gmail.com], [deadhead@kfedisbroke.com], 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, the alert warns.
“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,” OCC said.