WASHINGTON — The FDIC has alerted member banks and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to fraudulent letters circulating appearing to be from the FDIC and instructed recipients not to respond to them.
The letters are delivered via fax and state that "information is sought pursuant to sections 5318(J) and 5318(k) of Title 31 of the United States Code, as added by sections 313 and 319(b) of the USA PATRIOT ACT OF 2001 (Public Law 107-56)." It also adds, "As part of our oversight duties over banks operating in the United States, it is our statutory responsibility to ensure that foreign banks which maintain correspondent accounts with banks in the United States are up to date with their Certification."
Recipients are asked to complete a fake form attached to the fax and return it to the fax number provided. The letters are signed by "Ms Rosaline Smith, For and on Behalf of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation."
"The letters are fraudulent and were not sent by the FDIC. Financial institutions should NOT respond to the fraudulent request for information and should NOT, under any circumstances, forward any information to the fax telephone number," FDIC stated.
The agency encouraged that any information relating to this be brought to the attention of: FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, NW, Room F-4004, Washington, DC 20429, or transmitted electronically to [email protected].
It can also be brought to the attention of the OCC at occalertresponses
@occ.treas.gov; Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Special Supervision Division, MS 6-4, 250 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20219; or faxed to (202) 874-5214.
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