Counterfeit bank drafts bearing the name Bank of China, New York Branch, New York, New York, are reportedly in circulation

Bank of China, New York Branch, New York, New York, has contacted the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to report that counterfeit bank drafts bearing the bank's name are in circulation. The items are reportedly associated with an upfront-fee scam.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 026003269, which is assigned to Bank of China. While the counterfeit items bear a significant resemblance to the authentic drafts, the counterfeit items may be identified by the following missing information: the words "AUTHORIZED SIGNATURES" under the signature line and the words "for BANK OF CHINA" under the dollar amount box. All counterfeit items presented to date show the "Issuing Office" as Bank of China, Beijing Branch.

Potential victims have received the counterfeit checks via the U.S. Postal Service, with many of the mailings originating from Africa. Reportedly, recipients are asked to open a bank account with the check, instructed to retain ten percent of the check amount, and directed to remit the remaining balance back to the sender.

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

John Beauchemin
Chief Compliance Officer
Bank of China
410 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Telephone: (212) 935-3101, extension 267
Fax: (212) 829-7313
E-mail: JBeauchemin@bocusa.com

Additional information concerning this matter may be brought to the OCC's attention:

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 website 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