RE: |
Fraudulent Correspondence Regarding the Release of Funds Supposedly under the
Control of the United States Consular in the United Kingdom
Correspondence, allegedly issued by William H. Webster of the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) regarding restricted funds purportedly under the
control of the United States Consular in the United Kingdom, is in circulation.
The item is a hoax.
This fraudulent correspondence, which is being sent as a letter to United States
bank customers in an attempt to elicit funds from them, is attached. The letter
indicates that the DHS has placed an immediate stop on a large sum of money to
be transferred into the recipient’s bank account. The letter points out to the
recipient the consequences related to receiving such large dollar amounts
without adhering to the Homeland Security Laws of the United States/Canada, as
written in the "Patriotic Act of 2001." The letter further states that the
recipient must obtain an Anti-Terrorist Clearance Certificate prior to the
transfer of funds. According to the European Commission’s recent warning
(attached and viewable at
http://www.eurunion.org/ScamWarnings.htm), victims of this fraud are
directed to pay approximately $25,000 USD to obtain these bogus documents.
Any documents claiming that the DHS is involved in holding any funds for the
benefit of any individual or entity are fraudulent. The Department does not
participate in the transfer of funds for, or on behalf of, individuals,
business enterprises, or governmental entities.
The correspondence in question contains a forged signature of William H.
Webster, listed as Director, Homeland Security Department, but who is currently
Chairman of the Homeland Security Advisory Council in the Office of Policy
within the DHS, and a fictitious telephone number that is not associated with
the DHS. The Department strongly discourages recipients from responding in any
manner to this correspondence.
Consumers who receive such material should file complaints with the following
agencies, as appropriate:
-
If the proposal was received via e-mail or the Internet, please file a
complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at
http://www.ic3.gov;
-
If the proposal was received via the U.S. Postal Service, please file a
complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspector Service by telephone at
1-888-877-7644, by mail at U.S. Postal Inspection Service, 222 S. Riverside
Plaza, Suite 1250, Chicago, IL 60606-6100 or via e-mail at
https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx.
Any information regarding the subject of this alert may be brought to the attention of the
DHS at dhsoighotline@dhs.gov, or you may visit their Web site at
www.dhs.gov.
Additional information concerning this matter that you believe should be brought to the attention of the OCC may be forwarded to:
For additional information regarding other types of financial fraud, please visit the OCC’s anti-fraud resource at:
http://www.occ.treas.gov/fraudresources.htm.
/signed/
Richard C. Stearns
Director for Enforcement & Compliance
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