California CU Reports Fake Cashier’s Checks Circulating Nationally

America’s Christian CU warns counterfeit checks are an “excellent reproduction.”

CU warns of a counterfeit check scheme.

The $382 million America’s Christian Credit Union reported Tuesday that it suspects counterfeit ACCU cashier’s checks are in circulation nationwide.

Via an email statement distributed through the state regulator, the California Department of Business Oversight, the Glendora-based credit union reported the counterfeit checks are “an excellent reproduction of the actual checks” and are being presented for payment.

Fawn Imboden, chief development officer for ACCU, said it is believed that the bogus cashier’s checks are circulating throughout the nation because the credit union has members in all 50 states. ACCU became aware of the counterfeit checks on July 6 after a member received one in another state. The credit union serves nearly 165,000 members.

“The counterfeit checks are being sent to individuals nationwide along with a letter from ‘Mystery Survey’ asking them to cash the check, purchase gift cards, send front and back images of the gift cards to a number listed on the letter and keep a portion of the check proceeds as their ‘payment,’” according to the CDBO and ACCU email statement.

The numbers on the checks that have been seen so far are from 59979 to 60169. These numbers are within the range of check numbers that ACCU is currently using, making it difficult to determine which checks are authentic and which ones are fake, the credit union and CDBO reported.

To verify the validity of a check or for additional information, contact Marty Archer, AVP of ACCU’s compliance department at 800-343-6328, extension 5556, or email marcher@americasccu.com.

Imboden said the NCUA was notified of the counterfeit cashier checks.

Although most of the counterfeit checks are in the amount of $1,000, one financial institution reported a phony check in the amount of $2,980, CBDO and ACCU said.

The ACCU and CBDO statement did not identify the financial institution or how many counterfeit check reports have been received or in what states the fake checks have surfaced.

Imboden said the credit union does not know how many counterfeit checks are in circulation. She declined to identify the financial institution or the state where the fake check surfaced.