BankersOnline Security Spotlight

Section 114 of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACT Act), which required all financial institutions to develop and maintain an Identity Theft Prevention Program, was effective on November 1, 2008. The joint regulations, often referred to as the Red Flag Guidelines, required each financial institution to establish a written Identity Theft Prevention Program (Program). As part of the Program every financial institution was required to conduct a risk assessment, develop policies and procedures, obtain board approval and train appropriate personnel. An annual report to the board of directors is a required element for oversight of the Program. The program must be revised on a periodic basis. This two-hour webinar reviews all of the provisions of Section 114 of the FACT Act and the implementing regulations and the steps that must be taken on an on-going basis to assure continued compliance with the requirements.
Updating Your BSA/AML/OFAC Risk Assessment - September 21 —
byKen Golliher
Banks are expected to conduct routine risk assessments regarding the "quantity" of risk their institution incurs in relation to Bank Secrecy Act compliance as well as their exposure to money laundering and terrorist financing. An OFAC compliance risk assessment is also expected. In both cases, the assessment must be documented; i.e. in writing. These assessments have a relatively short life expectancy, generally 12 to 18 months. Examiners and independent auditors will request a copy of the current version at the inception of on-site BSA/AML examinations. This webinar shows participants how to gather the necessary information and develop an appropriate document that serves as a valuable resource for their institution. Perhaps of more importance, it focuses on how banks can build a structure that makes the reviews and updates easier by creating a data base of relevant information from prior reviews. It also has a section on how to use board reports to keep the board abreast of relevant risk related information throughout the year.

Security Products
in the Banker Store



Stealing from Within:
Embezzlement & Data Theft




CIP Signs




"Social Engineering"
What the Red Flag Regulations Missed


Welcome to the September Issue of Security Spotlight
Wigged Out for Sure! Check out the hairy - and hair-raising—bandits in the Robbery blurb below, and read about a couple in the Crime-Dex write-up that got caught after a multi-state spree! Find out about more captures in Security Shorts and have a little chuckle when you get to the end! Learn about what to look for in counterfeits of the new $100 in the Security Blog and the "hot video" you need to look out for in the Anti-Phishing Blog.

Who? What? When? and Where?
Wig Wearing Wachovia Wobbers...Weapon-wielding, wig wearing bandits pulled off their third Wachovia Bank heist in Georgia within a month on Wednesday, August 26th in Rockdale County. As with their first two visits to Wachovia branches in Atlanta (in July) and Norcross (earlier in August), the two suspects entered the Rockdale County branch between 10:30 and 10:45 am. Armed with handguns and wearing scraggly black wigs, they grabbed the cash and left without incident.In their earlier heists, one of the robbers vaulted over the teller counters, while the other guy remained in the lobby and ordered the banks' customers to the ground. In each of the robberies, the suspects fled the scene in a silver Lexus. The disguises these robbers wore were outlandish and should have attracted attention.Have you trained your employees to enter a state of heightened awareness if someone enters the institution in a manner that seems odd or suspicious?

Up or Down?It may seem like we are seeing an increase in bank robberies in the news and our Unknown Robbers Page this month features sixty mug shots, but according to the FBI, bank robberies are down for the first quarter of 2010. The FBI's Bank Crime Statistics report for the first quarter indicates a decrease of 338 reported violations as compared to the first quarter of 2009, down from 1,521 to 1,183. While the overall number of robberies may be down, the number of unidentified bandits for whom we have been able to procure photos remains steady.

Some highlights of the report show that bank crimes occur most frequently on Fridays between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and that most violations occurred in the South. Oral demands were noted as the most common modus operandi followed by demand notes. You can view the detailed report at www.fbi.gov

Bank robbers are desperate to hide their identities by wearing hats, hoods, or sunglasses, in order to make it more difficult to accurately identify them afterwards. Use these signs to make a simple request of those entering your premises, asking them to remove hats, hoods, and sunglasses for security reasons.Any individual who fails to heed the request is simply subjected to greater scrutiny -- exactly what a bank robber DOESN'T want. Available now in the Banker Store.
Check our Bank Robbery page for photos and information on all the latest robbery suspects.


Captures, Flubs and a Little Hilarity

Abuser of the Elderly gets Caught -A former bank manager for Wells Fargo in San Jose, CA will spend six years in prison.Jon Tran pleaded guilty to theft from an elder, fraud and forgery.While serving as a bank manager, and even after he left that position, Tran victimized elderly and disabled customers. He would talk these customers into making investments, take their cashier's checks and cash them himself. After he left the bank in Feb. 2009, he was continuing to visit these customers in their homes to perpetrate his frauds. Finally a customer and her daughter went into the bank. When Wells Fargo couldn't explain why these "investments" were not reflected on the accounts, but cashier's checks were drawn, the police were called. Wells Fargo made the customers whole. Now Tran has agreed to repay the bank $553,000.

Pretty Much "Caught" Himself -In Galloway, Ohio, Alan Garrett turned himself in to the police two days after robbing a bank there.Employees said he looked familiar. That was because he was a customer there. His license plate number was seen when he fled, so it seems Garrett knew it was just a matter of time.

Captured in Louisiana -Michael Francis Mara, 53, was dubbed the "Granddad Bandit" by police. He is a serial bank robber wanted for at least 25 bank robberies dating back to 2008. These banks were in 13 different states. Mara's photo was placed on billboards in hopes that he would be recognized.He was arrested at his home August 11, in Baton Rouge, LA.

World's Most Wanted Cyber Criminal Captured -Vladislav Anatolieviech Horohorin: you may not know his name, but it is possible you know his work.Horohorin was listed as one of the five most wanted cyber criminals in the world. He created some of the most sophisticated websites that existed to sell credit card information.He was arrested at the Nice airport in France, on his way home to Russia.

Committed Suicide rather than be Captured - In Lowell, MA, a would-be bank robber is dead.William Champagne was in the process of robbing the Lowell Cooperative Bank when a silent alarm was triggered. This was at closing on a Saturday afternoon. He had already tied up three of the bank employees and was in the process of gathering the cash. Police Sgt. Stephen Morrill happened to be around the corner when the alarm call was received. Champagne saw Morrill outside the building and attempted to take him hostage, but Morrill took cover behind a car.Champagne then fled. As he was being chased by the officer he fired twice, missing the officer both times. The man climbed a fire escape to the top of a building. SWAT was called in and the man killed himself.

No Sex Discrimination for Robbers -Statistically, many more men rob banks than women, so this is unusual, though not unheard of.There were two banks in the area robbed by women this year.The City of Boston Credit Union in Dorchester and First Trade Union bank in Boston were robbed in July and August, only five days apart. Law enforcement in the Boston area is currently looking for a bank-robbing woman.Wearing a baseball cap, this woman gives the teller a note, threatens her, and escapes on foot. Here is her picture.

Good Thing this One's Been Captured! -Michael Anthony Price was dubbed the "Brazen Bandit" by the FBI. Price robbed at least two banks in Florida. In one he went to open a new account and showed a revolver. He approached a teller station and showed that he had a backup weapon as well, pointed his pistol at the teller and said he wanted hundreds, and she had fifteen seconds to get it. Five days later, in his next robbery, a 67 year old man approached Price during the robberies and Price shot him in the neck saying: "Don't try me; don't be a hero".As he fled, Price tripped and dropped some of his cash and fired two rounds. One shot went through the window of a nearby business. The FBI placed a $25,000 reward out and published a robbery photo. Price has been arrested.

Sentenced and Will Be Deported -You may be frustrated when you read light sentences for bank robbers.Last November three men went to rob The Cattleman'sNational Bank in Round Rock, TX, which is just outside of Austin. They were armed, and briefly took a bank vice president hostage, during the robbery.Baltazar Nava, the driver, pleaded guilty in May to bank robbery and using a firearm in a crime. He was sentenced to seventeen years in prison. As a Mexican citizen he will be deported after serving his time.Ruilber Alexander Aleman and Nahum Samiento Ramirez were convicted of the same crime, sentenced to twenty years in prison, and as Honduran citizens they too will be deported after serving their time.

A Little "Criminal" Humor...? -Here is a little dumb criminal humor. While this isn't a bank, you'll still appreciate this smash-n-grab that never happened, thanks to good windows! YouTube has the 17 seconds that may make your day!

Alerts & Counterfeits
August was a typical month with eighteen alerts reporting counterfeits.Cashier's checks are always the most popular item, because of the fast availability of cash when these are negotiated. There were eleven cashier's checks reported this month, three official checks, two Treasury checks, one personal money order and one bank check. All were FDIC notices and each was reported on one of five days.Somewhat unusual is that these eighteen items were from fourteen different states. Only Iowa, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Missouri had two each.

The easiest way to ensure you don't miss a notification is to read your daily Compliance Briefing or check our Alerts and Counterfeits page.

Vacation for Many, but not for Letting Down Your Guard
August is typically a vacation month, but fortunately BOL CrimeDex was hard at work sending out numerous alerts warning members to be on guard.There was a series of recent nationwide robberies by a pair who decided to stop for some quick cash while they drove through Tennessee, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California. While in California, the two visited Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Merced, San Francisco, and finally Morro Bay.Armed and dangerous, the two stole cash, IDs, vehicles and license plates during their road trip cross country before eventually being arrested in California.

Bank robberies, check fraud, ATM skimmers and counterfeit credit cards were also popular this month.Watertown Savings Bank (Lexington, MA) , Key Bank (Portland, OR) and Danvers Bank (Saugus, MA) were each robbed by suspects wearing hats, and in some cases gloves, to cover up their crimes.Photos of each perp as well as additional details are available in the CrimeDex database.

Counterfeit credit cards encoded with valid account numbers from Wells Fargo turned up this month as suspects attempted to purchase goods and gift cards at Burlington Coat Factory. An August 17th alert noted that the two possessed sixteen counterfeit cards between them. Wells Fargo is currently trying to identify the point of compromise.

Alerts like these and others help keep BOL CrimeDex subscribers current on scam techniques, suspects operating in their areas, and other threats to their institution's security. For more information, check out BOL CrimeDex.


Still time to Register! Don't miss out!

The new $100 bills will be released in February 2011. What better time to counterfeit these bills than now. When they are first released, it will be difficult to tell a real bill from a counterfeit. The old saying that applies is "people don't know, what they don't know", but you can educate your staff and customers on the new bills in advance and our Security Blog post from Aug. 18, 2010 tells you how.

Interested in what makes the criminal mind what it is? It isn't always intelligence as you can see from the video linked from our August 17 Security Blog post.

Just under that post, read about a career criminal who needs a new career.After clearly identifying himself to the teller in a robbery, he was tackled by an angry mom!Use the link above to read more.

Of interest to those who occasionally view YouTube videos, there is a post warning you not to search on "hot video," as you may hit any of three million dangerous bogus pages. Read more on this threat at our Anti-Phishing Blog.

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