Scams Involving the Federal Reserve Name - FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK

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Scams Involving the Federal Reserve Name

Fictitious Federal Reserve Email Address Involved in Fraud Attempts
November 2024

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is aware of multiple scams that use fictitious e-mail addresses to impersonate Federal Reserve officials. The email domain newyorkfrb.org is not an official email of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Therefore, any email purporting to be from a Federal Reserve official which ends in @newyorkfrb.org is fraudulent. Do not respond to these emails.

Please remain alert to fraudulent scams involving individuals who purport to be employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not maintain accounts or funds on deposit for any individual. Federal Reserve Bank of New York officials will never send e-mail asking for personal information, notifying you that funds are waiting for you at a Federal Reserve location, or requesting reimbursement of any type of fees.

If you received a communication from someone claiming to be from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and you are not sure if it is legitimate, please contact the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Financial Intelligence and Investigations Unit staff via the report.fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

Although the Federal Reserve Bank of New York works in conjunction with law enforcement, in most cases, it does not independently investigate this type of scam or theft. You will need to contact a local law enforcement office, or Federal Law Enforcement agency to file a complaint if you desire further criminal action be taken.

We strongly suggest that fraud victims file an Internet crime complaint with the FBI by visiting the Internet Crime Complaint Center here: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.

Private Investment/Work at Home Scams
May 2024

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has received inquiries from the public about fraudulent work at home opportunities and private investment opportunities that reference the Federal Reserve System. In many instances, the victim is asked to purchase goods or make trades on behalf of someone else and the victim initially will receive a commission in return. The victim is led to believe that if they make enough purchases or trades, their commission will far exceed the amount spent on an entry fee or on the purchases/trades. The cycle of purchases/trades and commissions continue for a time to lure the victim to believes they will get higher commissions if they make even more purchases and trades. The victim will put in additional funds to reach ever higher purchasing brackets until reimbursements suddenly stop, resulting in the victim losing significant amounts of money. When the victim asks about their initial fee and commission, the fraudster will say their funds are being held at the Federal Reserve Bank. The fraudster will claim that additional fees are needed to have the funds released, including fees to cover taxes or antiterrorism certificates. This is simply another effort by the fraudster to deceive and get more money from the victim. The public should be very skeptical of work from home opportunities that require them to invest their own funds to complete the assignment. The chances of these programs being fraudulent are very high.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not maintain accounts or funds on deposit for individuals. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never send an e-mail asking for personal information or reimbursement of any type of fees.

We strongly suggest that fraud victims file an Internet crime complaint with the FBI by visiting the Internet Crime Complaint Center here: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.

Gold Accounts
March 2024

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has become aware of an investment scam in which fraudsters attempt to deceive victims to “invest” in sham transactions by falsely claiming that they hold gold at the Reserve Bank offering the gold as collateral if the victim agrees to invest.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not hold gold for individuals or private entities. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has from time to time been approached by individuals and corporations inquiring about ownership of gold accounts at the Bank. No individuals or private sector entities are permitted to store gold at the Bank. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is only authorized to act as the guardian and custodian of gold on behalf of the U.S. government, foreign governments, foreign central banks and official international organizations.

Below is a link to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s public website discussing financial services as it relates to the Bank as custodian of gold.

Gold Vault

We strongly suggest that fraud victims file an Internet crime complaint with the FBI by visiting the Internet Crime Complaint Center here: http://www.ic3.gov.

If you have any questions, please contact the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Financial Intelligence and Investigations Unit staff via the report.fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

Scam Involving the Mega Millions Lottery
April 2023

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has recently become aware of a scam involving its name and the Mega Millions lottery. Fraudsters contact individuals through unsolicited telephone calls and claim that they have won a sweepstakes involving a large cash award, a luxury automobile, or other high value prizes. The victims are told the winnings are being held in an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and to speak with a representative, who then instructs the victims to pay a fee, or provide personal information such as banking credentials, in exchange for their winnings. Fraudsters may also instruct victims to purchase gift cards (including from iTunes, Google Play, or Amazon) and to provide the claim code on the back of the gift cards. The fraudsters claim that the sweepstakes winnings will be released to the victims after they provide this information.

These calls are fraudulent, and victims will not receive any winnings. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is not associated with Mega Millions, nor does it maintain accounts for individuals. It will never contact the public via unsolicited correspondence asking for money or any personal information.

If you have any questions, please contact the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Financial Intelligence and Investigations Unit staff via the report.fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

We strongly suggest that fraud victims file an Internet crime complaint with the FBI by visiting the Internet Crime Complaint Center here: http://www.ic3.gov.

Scams Involving Impersonations of New York Fed Employees in Communications with the Public
February 2023

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York (New York Fed) has become aware of an Advanced Fee scam misusing the names of real or fictitious New York Fed officials.

Fraudsters have been posing as New York Fed President John Williams, New York Fed Chief Risk Officer Josh Rosenberg, and others in communications to the targets of their fraud.

Recently, fraudsters claiming to be Josh Rosenberg have been instructing potential victims, including New York Fed employees, to purchase gift cards (iTunes, Amazon, Apple, etc.) in amounts of $200 or more. Once the gift cards are purchased, the fraudsters ask the victims for the code on the back of the card, claiming that (fictitious) funds will be released/reimbursed to the victims’ personal accounts after they provide this information. These communications are not actually from Josh Rosenberg and are fraudulent.

Fraudsters initial contacts typically relate to topics such as government grants, off shore contracts, inheritance fees, or assistance with transactions as a nominee; however, the communications could be about anything.

The fraudsters often ask their targets to make payments via wire transfer or via money service business, to purchase gift cards, or to divulge their personal bank information, allegedly in order to access a grant or other government program that claims to offer money to the public.

To entice their targets to make payments and/or divulge their banking information, fraudsters falsely represent that funds will be released as soon as a payment is made or bank account information is released.

They may claim to need a payment for "transfer fees," fees for "clear and unencumbered certificates," "anti-money laundering and counter terrorism certificates," various types of taxes, and "know your customer document review fees.

Employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will NEVER engage the public in discussions about purchasing gift cards, requesting fees via money service businesses, wire transfers or any other means. Remember, the Federal Reserve Banks do not maintain bank accounts for individuals at the Fed so there will never be a need to contact anyone from the public about bank account activity.

If you receive a call or email from someone claiming to be a Federal Reserve Bank of New York official (or that of any other Federal Reserve entity), please do not give out any personal information. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not maintain accounts for members of the public, so Federal Reserve Bank of New York representatives would never call to discuss an individual's personal accounts or finances, nor would they ever ask for fees, tax payments, reimbursement or anything of value from the public.

Should you have questions, please feel free to contact the Financial Intelligence and Investigations staff via the report.fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

Sweepstakes
August 2022

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has recently become aware of a scam involving its name and an alleged sweepstakes with the American Cash Awards, the American Gaming Association and/or the IRS. Fraudsters send unsolicited emails and letters claiming the recipients have won millions of dollars from an alleged sweepstakes. The victims are told the winnings are being held in an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and that to access those funds they must pay a legal fee, release fee and/or taxes in advance. The perpetrators of this fraud provide their victims with payment coordinates on where to send their fee. This money will be stolen by the fraudster. The victim will lose their money and will not receive any funds.

In addition, fraudsters may instruct victims to purchase gift cards (iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, etc.) and to provide the claim code on the back of the gift cards. The fraudsters, claim that the sweepstakes winnings will be released to the victims personal account after they provide this information.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is not associated with the American Cash Awards, the American Gaming Association, or the IRS, nor does it maintain accounts for individuals. It will never contact the public via unsolicited correspondence asking for money or any other type of personal information.

If you have any questions, please contact the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Financial Intelligence and Investigations Unit staff via the Report.fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

We strongly suggest that fraud victims file an Internet crime complaint with the FBI by visiting the Internet Crime Complaint Center here: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

Digital Assets Scam
March 2022

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has become aware of a scam in which individuals claiming to be Federal Reserve agents offer assistance to victims in the recovery of stolen digital assets. The fraudsters ask the targets of this fraud to pay a fee for the alleged recovery of the digital assets. If a target falls for this scam and pays these fees, this money will be stolen by the fraudsters. The fraudsters will also try to get victims to divulge personal information, including banking information, perhaps to engage in future identify theft schemes.

The Federal Reserve is not involved in the recovery of any accounts or funds, including digital assets, and members of the public will never be contacted by anyone from or on behalf of the Federal Reserve in connection with such activities.

Additionally, please be advised that the Federal Reserve provides banking services only for depository institutions like banks and credit unions. Individuals do NOT have accounts at the Federal Reserve.

If you have any questions, please contact the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Financial Intelligence and Investigations Unit staff via the Report.fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Scam
June 2021

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has become aware of a scam in which individuals claiming to be with the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) offer to assist in the recovery of "lost" cryptocurrency. The fraudsters ask the targets of this fraud to pay a fabricated fee for the alleged recovery of the funds plus attorney's fees. If a target falls for the scam and pays these fees, this money will be stolen by the fraudsters. They will also try to get victims to divulge personal information, including banking information, perhaps to engage in future identify theft schemes.

The FOMC is part of the Federal Reserve System, the nation's central bank. It reviews economic and financial conditions, determines the appropriate stance of monetary policy, and assesses the risks to its long-run goals of price stability and sustainable economic growth. The FOMC is not involved in the recovery of any accounts or funds, including cryptocurrency, and members of the public will never be contacted by anyone from or on behalf of the FOMC.

Exhibits of sample schemes

If you have any questions, please contact the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Financial Intelligence and Investigations Unit staff via the Report.fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

Consumer Scam Alert and Update
January 2021

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has become aware of a scam involving videos claiming that at birth, every U.S. citizen has a “secret” account established at a Federal Reserve Bank that could be used by that individual to buy items or pay off loans or debts. These claims are fraudulent and false. There are no such accounts—they do not exist now, nor have they ever existed. This is an internet hoax that has caused much financial pain to the public.

In July 2017, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York posted a warning about a similar scam involving a number of unauthorized transactions in which consumers tried to use the Fed's routing numbers and their Social Security numbers to pay their bills. That warning explained that individuals cannot use Federal Reserve routing numbers when making online or e-check bill payments. It stated that any video, text, email, phone call, flyer, or website that describes how to pay bills using a Federal Reserve Bank routing number or using an account at the Federal Reserve Bank is a scam.

Please be advised that the Federal Reserve provides banking services only for depository institutions like banks and credit unions. Individuals do NOT have accounts at the Federal Reserve.

The bill payments being attempted using these supposed secret accounts are being rejected and returned unpaid. Consumers who have attempted to use the Fed's routing numbers to pay their bills are usually subject to penalty fees from the company they were attempting to pay. It is possible that attempting payments in such a manner may also subject the issuer to civil and/or criminal penalties.

If you have any questions, please contact the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Financial Intelligence and Investigations Unit staff via the RTN.fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

Scam Involving Purported Suspicious Bank Account Activity
September 2020

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has become aware of a new scam in which fraudsters claiming to be from the Federal Reserve contact the public through unsolicited phone calls and emails. The fraudsters falsely state there has been suspicious activity in a bank account that is held by the target of the fraud at a commercial bank. They will try to instill fear, possibly by stating there is an arrest warrant for the account holder and claiming that the account holder needs to speak with a Federal Reserve officer immediately.

We urge the public to remain alert to fraudulent scams involving individuals who purport to be employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not maintain any type of funds or accounts for individuals, nor does the Federal Reserve Bank of New York directly e-mail or call individuals holding accounts at commercial banks regarding suspected suspicious activity in those accounts.

Please remember: the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any type of personal information.

If you have any questions, please contact the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Financial Intelligence and Investigations Unit staff via the Report.Fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

COVID 19 Phishing Scam
June 2020

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has become aware of numerous COVID-19 themed phishing email scams in which fraudsters are fraudulently impersonating employees of the Federal Reserve System and purporting to offer financial relief programs. The fraudulent emails appear to come from the Federal Reserve System, and reference financial relief programs contained in the CAREs Act including the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Impact Payments. If clicked, the malicious link in the emails leads to a convincing website containing the logos of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The malicious website, which has no actual connection to FEMA or the CDC, contains a drop down with what appears to be the official logo and login form for "top participating institutions." If victims input their banking credentials, they receive an error message indicating the information they submitted was inaccurate. Meanwhile, their personal banking information has already been stolen by the fraudster.

Please remember: Employees of the Federal Reserve System will never call or email the general public looking for money, personal information, or donations, or to request that individuals enter into any type of a financial transaction. Be suspicious of any such outreach, as it will undoubtedly be an individual attempting to facilitate a fraud.

If you have any questions, please contact the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Financial Intelligence and Investigations Unit staff via the Report.Fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

We strongly encourage fraud victims file an internet crime complaint with the FBI by visiting the Internet Crime Complaint Center here: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.

COVID-19 Scam Warning
April 2020

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is alerting the public to potential scams relating to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Unfortunately, fraudsters will try to profit off the public during these uncertain and unprecedented times. We have recently learned of a 50% increase in phishing scams.

We urge the public to remain alert to fraudulent scams involving individuals who purport to be employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York seeking money or personal information for COVID-19 research or medical supplies or financial transactions. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is not collecting donations for COVID-19 research or medical supplies and does not maintain funds or accounts for individuals.

Please remember: Employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never call or email the general public looking for money, personal information, donations or to request that individuals enter into any type of a financial transaction. Be suspicious of any such outreach, as it will undoubtedly be an individual attempting to facilitate a fraud.

We strongly suggest that fraud victims file an internet crime complaint with the FBI by visiting the Internet Crime Complaint Center here: https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.

Publisher's Clearing House Scam
February 2019

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has recently become aware of a fraud involving its name and an alleged sweepstakes with the Publisher's Clearing House. Fraudsters call individuals claiming they have won millions of dollars from the Publisher's Clearing House. The victims are told the winnings are being held in an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and that in order to receive the money they must pay a fee and/or taxes in advance. After the victim wires the funds for these false expenses, they will lose their money. They will never receive any winnings, as this is a scam and this program does not exist.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is not associated with the Publisher's Clearing House, nor does it maintain accounts for individuals.

Please remember: The Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information.

Scam Involving Fictitious Emails/Calls from NY Fed President
September 2018

We have recently become aware of a number of frauds incorporating the name of John Williams, the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York since June 2018.

The most commonly observed misuse of Mr. Williams's name is in Advance Fee Frauds. An Advance Fee Fraud is a scheme in which the target/victim will be asked to make payments or divulge his or her personal bank information to an imposter, allegedly in order to access a grant or other government program that claims to offer money to the public. These requests for funds are limited only by the criminals' imaginations, but have included such terms as "transfer fees," "clear and unencumbered certificates," "anti-money laundering and counter terrorism certificates," various types of taxes, and "know your customer document review fees." As mentioned, these are just a small sample of terms used by criminals in an attempt to make their targets/victims believe in the validity of fictitious programs that are claimed to pay money to the public. To entice victims to make payments and/or divulge their banking information, criminals will falsely represent that funds will be released as soon as a payment is made or bank account information is released.

These frauds are not limited to using Mr. Williams's name; they also incorporate the names of both real and fictitious Federal Reserve officials. We have observed that the initial contacts relate to topics such as government grants, off shore contracts, inheritance fees, or assistance with transactions as a nominee. Again these are just a few examples, but the communications could be about anything.

Please note that employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will NEVER engage the public in discussions about fees, wire transfers or accounts at the Fed.

Should you have questions, please feel free to contact the Financial Intelligence and Investigations staff via the report.fraud@ny.frb.org email address.

Spoofed Federal Reserve Bank of New York Phone Numbers
June 2018

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has recently become aware of Federal Reserve Bank of New York phone numbers being spoofed in unsolicited calls to the public. Many times individuals have missed calls from these spoofed numbers only to call back and reach actual Federal Reserve employees. In most cases the phone numbers will begin with 212-720-XXXX. These phone numbers are licensed to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, however, the calls from outsiders using these numbers are not made by or on behalf of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and are not legitimate.

If you receive a call from what appears to be a Federal Reserve Bank of New York phone number, please do not give out any personal information. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not maintain accounts for members of the public, so representatives would never call to discuss an individual's personal accounts or finances, nor would Federal Reserve Bank of New York representatives ever ask for a fee, tax payment, reimbursement or anything of value from the public.

Please remember: The Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information.

Scam Involving Fictitious Bank Checks
June 2018

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has recently become aware of a scam in which fictitious Official Bank Drafts (checks) have been sent to law firms by fraudsters who claim to be overseas individuals attempting to make large asset purchases in the United States (such as the purchase of a boat). The fraudsters claim that they would like to retain the law firm as a client to conduct due diligence on their behalf. After the firm receives the fraudulent bank draft, the client then claims that the contract has been cancelled and asks the law firm to immediately return the funds (often via wire transfer) minus a fee for the law firms services. Unbeknownst to the law firm, the fictitious check will be returned a few days later from the issuing institution as a fraudulent item. If the law firm has initiated payment to the fraudster client, then it could overdraw the law firms bank account and the law firm will likely be the entity incurring the financial loss due to the fraud scheme.

We urge the public to be vigilant when receiving unsolicited funds from unknown parties and to contact their financial institutions immediately with any concerns.

Phone Scam Involving Fictitious "Eric Conn Compensation Fund"
July 2017

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has recently become aware of a telephone scam involving a fictitious "Eric Conn Compensation Fund." As is typical of most advance fee scams, the victims are told they are the recipients of a sum of money, usually $9000, but they must initially pay a service fee to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in order to release their funds. They are then given a fraudulent address or account to which to send the "fee." Please be aware the money will be stolen by the fraudster, and no funds will be provided to the person paying this "fee." Please be aware that this is a fraud. To the extent any funds are transmitted to the address provided, the funds will be stolen by the fraudster and no funds will be remitted to the person paying the "fee."

Please note the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is NOT involved in any compensation fund. We urge the public to remain alert to fraudulent scams involving individuals who purport to be employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not maintain any type of funds / accounts for individuals.

Please remember: the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information.

Although the Federal Reserve Bank of New York works in conjunction with law enforcement, in most cases, it does not independently investigate this type of scam or theft. Our website details many scams in a way to inform and protect the public. You will need to contact a local law enforcement office, or Federal Law Enforcement agency if you desire further criminal action be taken.

Consumer Scam Alert: Do Not Use Federal Reserve Routing Account Numbers to Pay Bills; Could Face Late Fees, Other Charges
July 2017

Recently, the Federal Reserve Banks have received a number of unauthorized transactions in which consumers have tried to use the Fed's routing numbers and their Social Security numbers to pay their bills.

It is important for consumers to know that when making online or e-check bill payments, they cannot use Federal Reserve routing numbers. Federal Reserve routing numbers are used for sorting and processing payments between banks. Any video, text, email, phone call, flyer, or website that describes how to pay bills using a Federal Reserve Bank routing number or using an account at the Federal Reserve Bank is a scam.

The Federal Reserve provides banking services only for banks. Individuals do not have accounts at the Federal Reserve.

The bill payments being attempted using the Fed's routing numbers are being rejected and returned unpaid. Consumers who have attempted to use the Fed's routing numbers to pay their bills may be subject to penalty fees from the company they were attempting to pay.

Recent Update to Scam Involving Fictitious Federal Reserve Grant
April 2016

Recently, fraudsters have been instructing victims to purchase gift cards (iTunes, Amazon, Apple, etc.) in amounts of $200+. Once the gift cards are purchased, the fraudsters ask the victims for the claim code on the back of the card, claiming their (fictitious) grant funds will be released to their personal accounts after they provide this information. This is a new method of scamming victims out of money.

Please note the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is NOT involved in any federal grant program. We urge the public to remain alert to fraudulent scams involving individuals who purport to be employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not maintain grant money or any other type of funds/accounts for individuals.

Please remember: the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information. To file an Internet crime complaint please visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.

To file a report with Western Union regarding this scam please call their fraud hotline: 1-800-448-1492.

To contact GreenDot about this scam please visit: https://support.greendot.cust-serv.com/greendotcare/General/Dispute.aspx.

Scam Involving Fictitious Taxes Owed
March 2016

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is aware of a scam that involves fraudsters claiming to be from the Federal Reserve contacting the public through unsolicited phone calls claiming that the individuals owe back taxes. The fraudsters often try to scare the victim by threatening to have the victim or family members arrested for not paying these taxes. The fraudsters then demand immediate payment (usually through prepaid debit cards) and will often try to elicit other personal information from the victims to further their identity theft scheme.

Although this scam usually involves fictitious IRS agents, some fraudsters are now claiming to be employed by the Federal Reserve. The IRS has highlighted this scam on their website: https://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Warns-of-Pervasive-Telephone-Scam

Please remember: the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information.

New Phone Scam Involving Fictitious Computer Company
December 2015

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has recently become aware of a scam that involves fraudsters, claiming to be from a computer company, contacting the public through unsolicited phone calls. The fraudsters claim the victims are having computer issues and need to divulge certain personal information in order to receive computer assistance. The phone number these fraudsters are using is a spoofed Federal Reserve Bank of New York number, usually 212-720-6130. The fraudsters have often been calling the same victims numerous times a day from this number. This number is licensed to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, however, the calls from the fraudsters using this number are not made by or on behalf of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and are not legitimate. If you receive a call from this number, please do not give out any personal information.

Please remember: the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information.

Update to Scam Involving Fictitious Federal Reserve Grant
March 2015

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is aware of an ongoing scam that involves fraudsters claiming to be from the Federal Reserve contacting the public through unsolicited phone calls or emails regarding a fictitious federal grant. In most instances regarding this scam, the fraudsters require the victims to wire a certain sum of money (via Western Union or Moneygram) or to purchase GreenDot Moneypak cards in order to receive the fictitious grant. The victim is told this money is needed for an application fee, a charitable donation or a processing fee in order for the fictitious grant money to be released. After the victim wires these funds, the victim is contacted again and requested to send additional money for one final fee in order to receive the fictitious grant money. Of course, the victims will never receive any grant money as this program does not exist.

Please note the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is NOT involved in any federal grant program. We urge the public to remain alert to fraudulent scams involving individuals who purport to be employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not maintain grant money or any other type of funds / accounts for individuals.

Please remember: the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information. To file an Internet crime complaint please visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.

To file a report with Western Union regarding this scam please call their fraud hotline: 1-800-448-1492.

To contact GreenDot about this scam please visit: https://support.greendot.cust-serv.com/greendotcare/General/Dispute.aspx

New Email Scam Regarding Know Your Customer (KYC) Information
September 2014

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has become aware of a scam involving unsolicited emails with the subject line “Important Information Regarding Your Account,” purportedly from the Federal Reserve Bank. The email falsely claims that an individual's bank has contacted the Federal Reserve regarding unauthorized transactions on their account. It explains the importance of the individual’s bank’s Know Your Customer (KYC) identification process and asks the individual to update their account through a provided link. We strongly recommend you do not open any links contained in this fictitious email.

Sample of Suspicious Activity Email PDF

Please note the Federal Reserve will never send unsolicited emails to the public asking for personal information.

New Email Scam Regarding "Suspicious Activity”
September 2013

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has become aware of a scam involving unsolicited emails regarding “Suspicious Activity” purportedly from a Federal Reserve Accounting Officer. The email falsely claims that an individual's bank has contacted the Federal Reserve regarding a suspicious incoming wire transfer and asks the individual to complete an attached form “IIMT Form 401.” We strongly recommend you do not open any links contained in this fictitious email.

Sample of Suspicious Activity Email PDF

Please note the Federal Reserve will never send unsolicited emails to the public asking for personal information. Additionally, the Federal Reserve will never contact the public regarding a suspicious wire transfer.

New Scam E-mail Regarding a “Wire Transfer Accepted”
October 2012

Please be alert to a scam involving unsolicited e-mails that claim to be sent by a fictitious "Federal Reserve Bank Auto Informer".

The e-mails are a series of fraudulent e-mails sent to individuals, companies and governmental agencies claiming to have successfully sent wire transfers to the recipients. Some of these e-mails claim to be from the Federal Reserve located at a non-existent address in either Charlotte DC, Charlotte SC, or Charlotte NC. Some of these fraudulent e-mails have been sent by blemishesan8@rfast.com.

These e-mails have been sent in waves for a variety of amounts. The attached sample exhibit is for an amount just over $4,200. Other fraudulent e-mails claim to have sent wire transfers in amounts just over $16,000 or $32,000.

Sample of Fraudulent Wire Transfer Accepted PDF

Please note that the Federal Reserve will never send unsolicited e-mails regarding a “Wire Transfer Accepted” or any other type of payment. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York and other Federal Reserve Banks will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information. Moreover, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and other Federal Reserve Banks will never contact the public regarding the issuance of a wire transfer.

Remain alert to scams involving individuals who claim to be New York Fed employees or employees of the Federal Reserve System.

Scam E-mail Regarding a "Waiver Deduction Procedure"
May 2012

Please be alert to a scam involving unsolicited e-mails that claim to be sent by the Report Fraud Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The e-mail is one in a series of fraudulent e-mails. It uses the real name of the New York Fed president, while using a fake e-mail address (president-william-dudley@newyorkfdonline.org), phone number (1 347-708-1591) and fax number (1 347-270-8992).

Sample #1 of scam waiver deduction procedure e-mail (jpg - 88 kb)
Sample #2 of scam waiver deduction procedure e-mail (jpg - 263 kb)

Please note that there is no known Waiver Deduction Procedure.

The New York Fed will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information.

Remain alert to scams involving individuals who claim to be New York Fed employees.

Scams Involving High Yield Investment Programs—Often Involving Private Placement Programs/Medium Term Notes
February 2012

For more than a decade, the Federal Reserve has been warning the public about fraudulent investment schemes that go by various names, but generically are known as High Yield Investment Programs (also known as "Private Placement Programs," "Capital Enhancement Programs," "Riskless Principal Trading Programs," "Federal Reserve Trading Programs" or "Bank Debenture Trading Programs"). These schemes continue to be used to target innocent investors. The programs purport to be highly secretive, but the marketer of the fraud scheme claims to have connections to the Federal Reserve or some other internationally renowned organization such as the United Nations, the IMF or the World Bank. The marketer claims that through these connections, members of the public can participate in very lucrative programs of investments involving various types of financial instruments, such as Medium Term Notes, standby letters of credit, and/or "prime bank" guarantees. These fraudulent "programs" are presented as legitimate investment vehicles being offered by traders or marketers with special "invitation only" access to the secret program operated by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Fraudsters claim that proceeds from the programs are slated for investment, often overseas. Fictitious letters with seemingly convincing letterhead are often used to convince targets that the programs are legitimate.

Targets are told that in order to participate they must provide the fraudster with verification of large (usually multi-million dollar) deposits in a personal bank account and copies of personal information containing pictures and signature information, such as driver’s licenses or passports. The fraudsters usually give "guarantees," frequently in writing that the money will remain in the target’s account, under his or her sole control, throughout the term of the program. However, the targeted victims are often asked to sign multiple bank documents that often allow the fraudster to act as a co-signer. This authority permits the scammer to wire transfer the money out of the account, despite the guarantee never to move the funds. In other instances, the fraudster has available to him the documentation necessary to impersonate the target and take the money from the designated account.

Employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Federal Reserve System will not offer investments to the general public. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve does not authorize, license, or sanction agents or traders to deal with the general public for High Yield Investment Programs.

The fraudsters market these schemes to investors in a number of ways, often describing overly complex and nonsensical transactions. Specifically, the fraudsters have been known to use some or all of the following false claims or descriptions in an attempt to enhance the credibility of the scam:

The Federal Reserve controls the issuance and distribution of the Medium-Term Notes or High Yield Investments offered—often as a means of controlling the monetary supply, or to enhance the economy of the United States.

The Federal Reserve issues the investments in a highly secretive and confidential manner, known to a select few only, and the scammer is one of the few who can access the program. For example, the scammer will claim that the trading of financial instruments takes place on such a secret market that the investor’s banker or investment adviser will not know about the investment opportunity because only a few special people around the world are aware of it or participate in the secret trading. Often the investor is told that since he/she is being allowed to participate in a secret trading program, if he/she reveals any information about the program, the investor's participation will be terminated.

The Federal Reserve uses this system to fund humanitarian/infrastructure or religious projects, with 50-80% of profits supposed to go to those projects (often claiming that the Federal Reserve has to approve the humanitarian project). The remaining percentage of profits can be retained by the investor as return on investment.

Most of the programs purport to involve a well-known bank, which the fraudster claims has already lined up a purchaser that will guarantee the investor a significant profit. The fraudulent investment programs often claim to have no risk because the program is guaranteed by that bank, providing the investor with the ability to sell the financial instrument at a pre-set buy-back price, locking in a profit.

Promises of extremely high, unrealistic rates of return with little or no risk. The contracts usually reference huge amounts, often in billions, even up to $1 trillion in annual contracts. False claims have stated that $100 million will produce $1 billion in profits in 1 year without risk to principal (riskless principal" transactions).

High rates of return are generated by repeatedly trading (or buying and selling) financial instruments in cycles (often over a 40-week period, or a 1-year period). The fraudulent investment programs may include automatic renewals (often called "rolls" and "extensions" for similar contract amounts). This automatic renewal feature provides the fraudster with a plausible excuse for why he/she cannot return the investor’s funds.

Claims that the investor's funds are absolutely safe and cannot be lost—for example, that a bank has issued a guarantee as described above, or an attorney is holding the funds in a special escrow fund or a trade settlement account that cannot be touched (often guaranteed to be of "non-depletion" status).

Claims that the cash does not move from the investor’s principal account, and that profits can be paid anywhere in the world, often outside the United States in so-called tax secrecy havens.

References to financial instruments issued by "prime banks," "top 100 world banks," "top 25 major banks of the world" or "top 25 European banks," and similar references to categories or groups of banks that are not used in the banking industry.

Terms that have no meaning in legitimate financial transactions—for example, "conditional SWIFT," "key tested telex," "pay order," "funds of good, clean, clear and non-criminal origin," "master commitment," "one year and one day," and "commitment holder."

References to a trader’s computer screens—often with the claim that the color of the screen has something to do with the validity of the investment program.

Inaccurate references to the International Chamber of Commerce and its publications.

Scam Involving Fictitious Federal Reserve Grant
January 2012

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is aware of an ongoing scam that involves fraudsters claiming to be from the Federal Reserve (sometimes using the name James Carter) contacting the public through unsolicited phone calls or emails regarding a fictitious $7000 federal grant. In most instances regarding this scam, the fraudsters require the victims to wire a certain sum of money (via Western Union or Moneygram) in order to receive the fictitious grant. The victim is told this money is needed for an application fee, a charitable donation or a processing fee in order for the fictitious grant money to be released. After the victim wires these funds, the victim is contacted again and requested to wire additional money for one final fee in order to receive the fictitious grant money. Of course, the victims will never receive any grant money as this program does not exist.

Please remember: the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never contact the public via unsolicited phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information.

Update to Scam Involving Fictitious Federal Reserve E-mail and Web Addresses
October 2011

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is aware of continuous scams that use fictitious e-mail and web addresses purporting to be official Federal Reserve addresses. In some instances, unsolicited e-mails are sent to individuals regarding fictitious lottery winnings, bogus bank accounts and/or collateral that are claimed to be at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In other instances, the e-mail will ask individuals to click on links to receive more information about their fictitious account or a fictitious wire transfer they sent. We strongly recommend that you do not attempt to open these links as they might contain malicious code which could infect your computer.

Please remain alert to fraudulent scams involving individuals who purport to be employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Read the sections below for information on samples of various scams that have been attempted. Please note that below is an updated list of fraudulent e-mail addresses that are known to have been used in these scams.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never send an e-mail asking for personal information.

Some addresses used in these scams include:

alert@federalreserve.gov
accounts.creditanceunit@skymail.mn
ben.bernanke10@sify.com
ben77788866@gmail.com
brandykelvin2007@google-mail.com
kelvinbrandy2008@google-mail.com
brandykelvin2009@google-mail.co
charles_fedreserve@live.com
christine.cumming@federalreservesystemnewyork.tk
christine.cumming@frbknewyork.tk
consumerhelp@federalreserve.gov
fedwire@federalreserve.gov
ask.federalreserve.gov@usa.com
federalreserve@live.com
info@fed-reserveonline.com
cumming@federalreserve-bank.tk
dyellen@rocketmail.com
federal.reseve.legaldept@linuxmail.org
federalreserve01@fastwebmail.it
federalreservebankf@rocketmail.com
fedresbanksys@live.com
fedresbrddd.gov@hotmail.com
fedreserve2@yahoo.co.jp
fedreserv14@gmail.com
fedwire@federalreserve.com
frb.fund.payment@sify.com
frb.ny27@live.com
frbonlinebanking@usa.com
fr-bony-wilson@hotmail.com
fundpaymentrelease@newyork-fed.org
info@fdrvbank.com
info@federalreservebank.state
info@federalreservebnk-ny.com
info@frbknewyork.tk
info@nyfeds.org
info@ny-frbank.org
jonathanbeardsta@hotmail.com
legalunit@federalreservebnk-ny.net
marco.marcokunkel.kunkel36@gmail.com
marcopeterkunkelfedralreserve@google-mail.com
marcok39@gmail.com
matterss2013@gmail.com
mkmarcokunkel801@gmail.com
marcopeterkunkelfedralreserve@yahoo.com
michael.held@virgilio.it
mr.marcopeterkunkel@nyfrbgovus.org
mrbenbernanke1111@virgilio.it
mrs.brandykelvin@nyfrbgovus.org
operations@federalreservebnk-ny.net
phisuzz@gmail.com
reservebk111@hotmail.com
swift.frb.newyork@online.ua
THEFEDERALRESERVEBANKNEWYORKFOREIGNTRANSFERDEPT@MRWILLIAMDUDLEY
transfer.dept@federalreserve-bank.tk
wire_manager@federalreserve.gov

Scam Involving Fictitious Federal Reserve E-mail and Web Addresses
March 2011

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is aware of many scams that use fictitious e-mail and web addresses purporting to be official Federal Reserve addresses. In some instances, unsolicited e-mails are sent to individuals from these addresses regarding fictitious bank accounts that they have at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In other instances, the e-mail will ask individuals to click on links to receive more information about their fictitious account or a fictitious wire transfer they sent. We strongly recommend that you do not attempt to open these links.

Some addresses used in these scams include:

consumerhelp@federalreserve.gov
fedwire@federalreserve.gov
ask.federalreserve.gov@usa.com
federalreserve@live.com
info@fed-reserveonline.com

If you are contacted in an unsolicited e-mail from someone claiming to be from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or if you have information relating to this or any fraud please send an e-mail to report.fraud@ny.frb.org.

Scam Involving Fraudulent Bonded Promissory Notes (BPNs)
February 2010

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has become aware of numerous attempts to present fraudulent bonded promissory notes which reference a fictitious bond account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The fraudster claims to have a bond account in excess of $100,000,000 established at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or at another Federal Reserve Bank) upon which he or she can issue bonded promissory notes as forms of legal payment for debt. Sometimes the fraudulent bonded promissory notes are remitted as payment for debts owed by the fraudster issuing the bond, while in other cases the fraudulent bonded promissory notes are used in attempts to pay the debts of third parties. Fraudsters have attempted to use fraudulent bonded promissory notes to pay for various items including automobiles, mortgage payoffs and medical and veterinarian bills.

These documents are fraudulent and will not be honored if presented.

A promissory note is a form of debt similar to a loan or an IOU. An individual (investor) makes an agreement to loan money to a company in exchange for a fixed return from the company, usually principal plus annual interest. While some promissory notes are indeed legitimate, they are rarely available to the general public. If the promissory note claims to be payable through an account held at a Federal Reserve Bank, the note is fraudulent.

How to Avoid a Promissory Note Scam
Generally, agents selling promissory notes need to be licensed. You can verify whether the person trying to sell you a promissory note is licensed by contacting your state securities regulator: www.nasaa.org/QuickLinks/ContactYourRegulator.cfm
Most investments involving promissory notes need to be registered with the SEC. You should verify whether the promissory note is registered or exempt from registration by contacting the SEC, www.sec.gov.
The majority of legitimate promissory notes are not sold to the general public. If you are being contacted by phone by someone trying to sell you a promissory note, it is most likely a scam.
If the return rate seems too good to be true, the note is likely fraudulent.
Be wary of promises of “risk free” returns.

Click here to see a sample of a fraudulent promissory note.

Sample Fraud (jpg - 340 kb)

If you have reason to believe you have invested in a fraudulent promissory note, you should contact your local FBI office.

Marco Peter Kunkel/Brandy Kelvin Advance Fee Scam
September 2009

It has come to the attention of the New York Fed that there is a new advance fee scam being committed using the New York Fed name. An advance fee scam is a fraud that urges a target to send a specific sum of money to a person or entity up front in order to receive a larger amount of money. Many times the fraudster asks for the target’s personal information, including bank account information, in order to send this promised larger amount of money. Release of this personal information may facilitate identity theft.

The recent scam involves a fraudulent e-mail from persons purporting to be either employees or agents of the New York Fed, including Mr. Marco Peter Kunkel or Mrs. Brandy Kelvin. The e-mail informs the targets that an account has been opened in his or her name at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and that funds have been deposited in this account. The e-mail instructs the targets to pay a surcharge in order to activate this account and access the funds that have been deposited in their name. The e-mail will sometimes provide a username and password for the target to use to access this fictitious account, as well as wiring instructions for the surcharges. The e-mail will sometimes include fraudulent Federal Reserve documents, including fictitious identification cards of employees. The fraudsters have even begun to use the names of actual Federal Reserve Bank of New York employees in this scam.

The e-mail addresses used in this scam include:

mr.marcopeterkunkel@nyfrbgovus.org marcopeterkunkelfedralreserve@yahoo.com marcopeterkunkelfedralreserve@google-mail.com
marcok39@gmail.com
mkmarcokunkel801@gmail.com marco.marcokunkel.kunkel36@gmail.com brandykelvin2007@google-mail.com
kelvinbrandy2008@google-mail.com
brandykelvin2009@google-mail.com mrs.brandykelvin@nyfrbgovus.org

These fraudsters have also created the following fraudulent website in an effort to spoof the official Federal Reserve Bank of New York site, and to facilitate their scam:

www.nyfrbgovus.org/

See Sample Scams:

Sample Fraud 1 (jpg - 155 kb)
Sample Fraud 2 (jpg - 177 kb)
Sample Fraud 3 (jpg - 154 kb)
Sample Fraud 4 (jpg - 838 kb)
Sample Fraud 5 (jpg - 555 kb)

If you are contacted in an unsolicited e-mail claiming that you have funds on deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or have information regarding this fraud please contact Kristin Sturm or Robert Amenta in the Investigations Group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. They can be reached at the following
e-mail address: report.fraud@ny.frb.org.

Scam Involving the Use of Actual Federal Reserve Bank of New York Employees’ Names in Unsolicited E-mails
April 2009

Please be alert to a fraudulent scam involving individuals who claim to be actual Federal Reserve Bank of New York employees in unsolicited e-mails to defraud the public.

In most versions of the scam, the fraudster poses as a Federal Reserve Bank of New York employee and falsely claims that the individual contacted has millions of dollars on deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Then the fraudster tries to get the individual to pay a fee, sometimes $950, in order to obtain these (fictitious) funds. The fee will be stolen by the fraudster, and no funds will be provided to person paying this fee.

Click to see various samples of this fraudulent scheme:

Sample Fraud 1 (pdf - 1,235 kb)
Sample Fraud 2 (pdf - 1,286 kb)
Sample Fraud 3 (pdf - 203 kb)
Sample Fraud 4 (pdf - 147 kb)
Sample Fraud 5 (pdf - 630 kb)
Sample Fraud 6 (pdf - 4,767 kb)

Details of this Fraud Scheme
In many instances, the fraudster claims that the (fictitious) funds were “with-held due to improper and un-official payment documentations, lack of proper verification documents from the beneficiary to ascertain the legality, source/origin and authenticity of these funds.” The fraudster claims that their need for proper documentation will require the payment of a fee, which is then stolen by the fraudster.

These e-mails are part of an elaborate scam to lure the public into making payments to the scammer for fictitious documents that the scammer claims are necessary to release the (fictitious) funds. The fraudster often claims that to obtain payment of these funds, the individual must remit a “Subsidized Charge” fee, sometimes in the amount of $950, for a “Payment Documentation / Payment Confirmation” service. Other times the scammer asks for a fictitious “Tax Clearance Receipt” which allegedly “will officially enable and allow us officially to release your payment to you.”The fraudster usually requests that the funds be sent via Western Union or Money Gram. These systems allow the fraudster to pick up the fee in various jurisdictions around the world, even though the remitter believes that the funds are being picked up in New York by an employee of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The fraudulent scheme includes multiple documents purportedly signed by various senior officials of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The e-mails usually contain sham e-mail addresses and phone numbers that are not assigned to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In some instances, these documents request personal information from the individuals receiving the e-mails, possibly for identity theft purposes. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not maintain accounts or funds on deposit for individuals, or non- financial institutions. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York will never send an e-mail asking for personal information.

If you are contacted in an unsolicited e-mail claiming that you have funds on deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or have information regarding this fraud please contact Robert Amenta, Senior Special Investigator at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He can be reached at the following e-mail address: report.fraud@ny.frb.org

Scam Involving Fraudulent Checks Purporting to be From a University of Illinois Account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
March 2009

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has recently become aware of a large number of fraudulent checks presented for processing through the Federal Reserve system. The checks purport to be from the University of Illinois and bear a Tampa, Florida address, rather than an Illinois address. These sham checks claim to be drawn on a University of Illinois account allegedly maintained at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, routing number 021001208.

These sham checks are usually made out to individuals in the United States in amounts between $3,500 and $4,800. It appears that these checks originate from overseas. In some instances the checks are received by individuals trying to sell items on eBay or craigslist. In those instances, the checks received by the sellers are in amounts exceeding the cost of the goods, with the "Purchaser" requesting that the seller remit the overage back to the buyer, less a small fee for their inconvenience. In other instances, "new employees" are solicited to engage in check cashing activities, keeping a fee and remitting the remainder via a money remitter.

These checks are fraudulent. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York does not offer commercial account services of this type.

Click here to see a sample of a fraudulent check.

If you receive a check purporting to be from a University of Illinois account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or have information regarding this fraud please contact Robert Amenta, Senior Special Investigator at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

New York Fed Archived Fraud Alerts

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