Two "lady" robbers are profiled in the robbery section below. Take a good look at their photos, then check out the other robbers featured on BOL's Robbery page. Read about the increase in mystery shopper scams, and prepare your tellers to recognize the kind of checks being passed. In the CrimeDex area below, read about an alert posted for a prolific perpetrator of postal fraud. Register now for the 2008 Security Officers Workshop sponsored by Bankers' Hotline, and get the early bird discount!
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Female robbers are few and far between on BOL's Robbery page, but this month there are two posted from California. In a recent robbery of 
U.S. Bank in Burlingame, CA, a woman entered the bank and briefly waited in line. She then approached an available teller and placed her purse on the counter and put her hand inside and acted as if she had a gun. The woman demanded that the teller give her money and threatened to shoot her if she did not comply. No gun was actually seen at any point and no one was hurt. The suspect fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.
 In the other case, local California police are asking for help in identifying a woman wanted in connection with the robbery of the Washington Mutual Bank in Escondido, CA. The woman bandit walked into the bank, approached the teller and handed her a demand note. The suspect also made a verbal demand for money, but never showed a weapon. The teller complied and handed the woman the cash from her drawer. The robber grabbed the money and fled on foot through the parking lot. Now is the time to review your institution's policies and procedures to ready your staff should a robbery occur.
CAPTURED This past month, seven of the notorious "scarecrow bandits", given that name because of the way dressed during the robberies, have been captured in Dallas, TX. BOL first reported this story in the December, 2007 issue of Security Spotlight. They are believed to be responsible for 21 bank robberies in the Dallas area. Police are considering this a success story, and expect more arrests to be made in connection with this gang's activities. |
Go to BOL's Bank Robbery page
to view the pictures and additional information on all the latest robbery suspects.
Secret shopper scams are hot this month! The First National Bank of Talledega, First National Bank of Buffalo and Borrego Springs Bank all reported very similar scams. Counterfeit cashier's checks are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with mystery/secret shopper scams. Items presented to date have been made payable in the amounts of $4,494, $4,955 and $4,985. Checks are accompanied by letters bearing the letterheads "Shadow Shopper", "Top Shop" or "Shopper's Confidential" and may also include a phone number from Canada. In all three cases, the correspondence informs the recipient that he or she has been selected to participate in a paid consumer research program as a secret shopper. It goes on to say that the enclosed cashier's check is to be used to transfer money using a nationally known wire service, and gives instructions to contact the company before depositing the check. Recipients are warned to keep the assignment confidential in accordance with the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
Go to BOL's Alerts & Counterfeits to read about other alerts.
 BOL's CrimeDex service offers its members a steady stream of alerts sent via email to notify them of recent scams. One such alert submitted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, details the fraudulent exploits of Wendy Kathleen Clark. This person committed mail fraud by using fake identification documents to open postal boxes in various Oregon and Idaho towns using at least twenty-three confirmed aliases! The boxes were used to run various cash donation gift-matrixing schemes that involved the mailing of solicitation materials nationwide. The victims, the majority of whom were elderly, sent cash donations based on the false promise of huge returns. The scheme proceeds are estimated to exceed $1 million. Authorities believe she may have other similar schemes going and a warrant for her arrest has been issued.
If your institution was a member of BOL's CrimeDex service, you would receive alerts such as this and others involving identity theft, check fraud, armed robberies and other crimes. Visit BOL's CrimeDex page to view a demo or sample alert and get more information about how your institution can get full access to the fraud sharing network. Don't forget, you can also submit an alert free of charge by contacting us at CrimeDex@bankersonline.com
In the blogs this month there are several stories of interest. In the Security Blog you'll read about Edna Fielder, a 44 year old woman who had $1.7 million in counterfeit checks and money orders. Many were passed and now she is looking at prison and probation.
You'll also read about mortgage fraud. We have information and links on 67 people charged in Chicago with $170 million in fraud. There are MSNBC and FBI links to take you to stories, video and pictures of some of the fraud. There were 400 additional suspects across the country that may account for $1 billion (yes, billion) in fraudulent loans.
These stories are in the Security Blog.
The Geek Blog has a post on two stories where high-tech and user knowledge of their devices helped catch the criminals and recover their property. When you discover your laptop has been stolen, what would be better than activating the camera on it and taking pictures of the perps? Read about this on the Geek Blog.
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