Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Alaska First Bank & Trust, NA, Anchorage, Alaska, are reportedly in circulation

Alaska First Bank & Trust, N.A., Anchorage, Alaska, has contacted the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation. The counterfeit items are associated with a lottery scam and are accompanied by a letter purportedly sent by "Optimal Strategy, Inc., 329 Victoria Ave., London, Ontario." The letter notifies the recipient of winning a cash prize in a lottery drawing and instructs the recipient to contact a North American foreign agent representative to arrange a wire transfer of taxes in order to have the remaining funds released.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 125200905, which is assigned to Alaska First Bank & Trust, N.A., Anchorage, Alaska. The counterfeit items are printed on blue check stock and display a logo similar to the authentic logo in the upper-left corner. However, the name "Alaska First Community Bank & Trust" appears to the right of the logo, and the address "Anchorage AK 99509-2360" appears below the logo. The words "CASHIER'S CHECK" are located in the upper-right corner of the item and directly beneath the check number. The statement "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK" is embedded in the top border.

Authentic cashier's checks are gray and contain a gray strip with silver leaves across the top of the check. The bank's name is located below the logo, and the full address of "C Street Office 001, 3301 C Street, Anchorage, Alaska 99503" appears to the right of the name. The words "CASHIER'S CHECK" are centered at the top of the check followed by a branch identification section and a date area. The wording "CARB-OUT Deluxe" is located along the left border of the check and a padlock logo with a security statement is located along the check's right border.

To report this scam or any other scam based in or mailed from Canada, please contact Phonebusters, which is a joint partnership between the Ontario Provincial Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Phonebusters is interested in receiving copies of scam letters, particularly those involving Canadian mailing addresses or telephone numbers. Records relating to the payment of advance fees should also be forwarded to Phonebusters. This intelligence information is used to assist in the strategic targeting of would-be fraudsters. Scam letters should be forwarded to the Phonebusters National Call Center (PNCC) as follows:

Mail: Box 686
North Bay, Ontario, Canada
P1B 8J8Web site: www.phonebusters.comTelephone: +1 (888) 495-8501 (toll-free in Canada and the USA)Fax: +1 (888) 654-9426 (toll-free in Canada and the USA)E-mail: info@phonebusters.comAdvance fee fraud (including Nigerian and lottery letters): wafl@phonebusters.com

For additional information or to verify the authenticity of the check, please contact:

Robin Bettisworth
Security Officer
Telephone: (907) 644-1222
Fax: (907) 561-7684
E-mail: robin@fibank.com Barbara Brock
BIS Manager
Telephone: (907) 929-9229
Fax: (907) 929-9240
E-mail: barbara@fibank.com Alaska First Bank & Trust,
N.A., Anchorage, Alaska
3301 C Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Website: www.akfirstbank.com

Additional information concerning this matter may forwarded to the OCC's attention at:

Mail: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Special Supervision Division, MS 6-4
250 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20219Fax: (202) 874-5214E-mail: occalertresponses@occ.treas.govInternet: http://www.occ.treas.gov

Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4004, Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Information related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2006/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Sandra L. ThompsonActing Director
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection