| In this issue of Security Spotlight, we shine the spotlight on the "Weathergirl Bandit" and in the Crimedex section, a true-life success story of a bank that used a No Hats sign from The Banker Store and avoided a robbery! Read about the "super dollar" sniffer in Security Blogs, and another Nigerian scheme on the horizon. |
A record number of 89 robbery suspects are posted on BOL's Robbery page. Of those, California tops the list with 18 total suspects posted. Among those, a robber in Bixby Knolls, who was already suspected of snatching bank deposit bags from customers at a bank branch, appears to have struck again! In the first incident, the victim told officers that the robber came up behind her and forcibly ripped a deposit bag containing a large amount of cash and checks out of her grasp. Fortunately, she was not hurt. The second incident happened at the same location using the same method, but this time the victim was from a local church. A man and a woman were taking some cash deposits from their church to the bank when the suspect walked up and grabbed the deposit bag. A struggle broke out between the two and the victim was knocked to the ground. Like the other victim, he was not injured. Another post from Manhattan Beach tells of a female robber named the "Weathergirl Bandit" because she makes polite conversation about the weather as she holds up the bank. She is a suspect in at least four robberies and may have a male accomplice. In addition, there are also three suspects in California that are wanted for armed robbery this month.
Go to BOL's Bank Robbery page for more information.
Executive National Bank issued an alert reporting fictitious common stock/bond dividend checks issued in the bank's name with a correct routing number which are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a lottery scam. This bank does not issue common stock/bond dividend checks. In this particular scam, the recipient receives a letter with the letterhead of "Crossboard Solutions" including a phone number originating out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, that informs them of their winning status of a large dollar amount in the "Deltex Wheel of Fortune". The letter further states that any attempt to negotiate the check without contacting the Deltex Exchange Bureau will immediately void the check. Also, the winning amount of $19,420.17 that is discussed in the letter is not the actual amount of the fictitious item. The letter may be signed by Britney James, Award Dispatch Manager. Included with the letter is a Surety Bond Purchase Requisition Form containing the letterhead of "Deltex Exchange Bureau", which requests personal information such as name, address, telephone number, date of birth and gender. The items presented to date have been made payable in the amounts of $1,825.35 and $19,520.27.
Go to BOL's Alerts & Counterfeits to read about other alerts.
 Do the "No Hats" Signs Really Work?
It sounds so simple that it's hard to imagine the idea spawned by the Massachusetts Bank Robbery Task Force a few years ago to post signs requesting those entering the bank remove hats, hoods and sunglasses could really deter a bank robber.  A recent alert from BOL CrimeDex tells about one case where the "No Hats" policy clearly resulted in the robber choosing not to rob that institution. A suspect enters a bank and is confronted by a manager asking him to remove his sunglasses and hood before doing any business. The suspect then indicated that he was just looking for a bathroom. After being told no bathrooms were available, he left and went straight to another bank and passed a note to a teller. He left there with almost $3,000 dollars. Subscribers to the BOL CrimeDex service receive many benefits, including pictorial alerts that keep them informed about the latest developments in financial crime. Learn more here.
Don't forget to order your "No Hats" sign now!
Three new Blog posts will tell you about one company offering a "super
dollar" sniffer so you don't get caught with any of these super
counterfeits, about a well organized credit card ring being taken down by
the NYPD that operated in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Miami, and
last but not least how a Nigerian 419 was being operated from Concord, NH.
These are in the
Security Blog.
Don't stop there. The Banker Blog tells you about the FBI's
investigation of Countrywide and that the $5 isn't phony, it just has new security features. These two stories can be found on the Banker Blog.
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