JOHN P. BURKE – A ‘classic’ scam

The state Department of Banking and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. issued warnings to consumers recently after a Connecticut bank was the target of a nationwide counterfeit check scam.

Counterfeit cashier’s checks that appear to be drawn on Torrington Savings Bank have been sent to individuals across the country, with each check accompanied by a letter claiming the recipient has won $100,000. The letter says the cashier’s check, made out in the amount of $2,150, is “a percentage surcharge required to be paid for the processing and surcharges associated with the disbursements of your funds to you.”

According to Department of Banking spokeswoman Kathleen Doolan, the bank was notified of the checks by an individual in Washington, D.C., and by a credit union in Michigan. She did not have further information on the checks.

The checks look authentic, according to the Department of Banking’s alert. They bear the routing number assigned to Torrington Savings Bank, but have a toll-free number that does not belong to the bank and an address of a branch location that closed in 1997.

The counterfeit checks are referred to as cashier’s checks, but authentic checks would say “treasurer’s checks,” according to the FDIC alert. The layout of the checks seems authentic, but each counterfeit check is missing a logo in its upper left corner.

“Torrington Savings Bank has advised the Department of Banking of this fraudulent activity,” said Banking Commissioner John P. Burke in a prepared statement. “This seems to be a classic ‘lottery scam,’ in which people are tricked into believing they won money. Unfortunately, many people end up losing their own money instead Â… Be leery if you receive a cashier’s check in the mail. Even if it looks authentic, call the bank where the check was purchased, and be sure to obtain that telephone number yourself.”