CommunityBank of Texas - Counterfeit cashier's checks

The above-named bank has reported that at least three variations of counterfeit cashier’s checks using a correct routing number of 113111983 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with online job opportunity and auction scams.

The counterfeit checks do not resemble the bank’s authentic checks. Counterfeit items may be identified by the following traits:

Variation No. 1

• The checks presented are either light blue or light green in color with a marbled background.
• The checks contain thin dark-blue or green vertical borders and thick dark-blue or green horizontal borders./li>
• The following security statement appears in the top border: “THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK.”

Variation No. 2

• The checks presented are either pale-blue or white in color and contain a thin blue border.
• The checks do not contain any security features.

Variation No. 3

The checks are light blue in color and contain a darker-blue top border.

• The following security statement appears in the top border: “WARNING: THIS DOCUMENT HAS SECURITY FEATURES IN THE PAPER.”
• A padlock icon appears in the right border with the words “Security Features.”

Counterfeit checks presented to date have been made payable in varying amounts and display the bank’s name with a space between “Community” and “Bank.” All checks contain a remitter name of Kellie Ellie Fowler and an authorized signature of Tamara Norris.

Potential victims of the job opportunity scam may be initially contacted by e-mail by either Jennifer Kinley with an e-mail address of [tisainas@gmail.com] or Keith Farrell with an e-mail address of [imtinssurance@gmail.com]. Both individuals are using the same telephone number of (832) 413-1639 for text messaging purposes. Once the potential victim agrees to the job opportunity, he or she will receive a counterfeit check in the mail with instructions to deposit the check into his or her bank account, wait 24 hours, and then wire a significant portion of the funds to a third party.

Potential victims of the online auction scam may be contacted by an individual using the name of Barrack Smith and providing an on-line auction e-mail address of [019ced5fc82f3880b47ab6db08134b10@reply.craigslist.org]. Potential victims are contacted about items posted for sale. Once an agreed-upon price has been set, the potential victim will receive an overpayment amount in the form of a counterfeit check. He or she is then instructed to deposit the check into his or her bank account, wait 24 hours, and then wire the overpayment amount to a third party.

Checks may take up to ten days to go through the clearing process. In both of the above-described cases, by the time the check is deemed to be counterfeit, the victims have already wired the funds to an untraceable third party. The victims are then in a position of refunding their financial institutions for the incurred loss.