Alerts | HSBC

Security Alerts

Fraudulent OCC Letters

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) recently advised HSBC that fictitious correspondence, allegedly issued by the OCC regarding funds purportedly under the control of the OCC and other government entities, is in circulation. Correspondence may be distributed via e-mail, fax, or postal mail. The request asks for personal information that can be used to commit theft by fraud. Here is a link to a sample letter:

If a customer receives a letter from the OCC that requests personal information or personal account information or that requires the payment of any fee in connection with the proposal, the recipient should take steps to verify that the proposal is legitimate. At a minimum, the OCC recommends that consumers:

• Contact the OCC directly to verify the legitimacy of the proposal (1) via e-mail at occalertresponses@occ.treas.gov; (2) by mail to the OCC's Special Supervision Division, 250 E St. SW, Mail Stop 8E-12, Washington, D.C. 20219; (3) via fax to (571) 293-4925; or (4) by calling the Special Supervision Division at (202) 649-6450.
• Contact state or local law enforcement.
• File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov if the proposal appears to be fraudulent and was received via e-mail or the Internet.
• File a complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service by telephone at (888) 877 7644; by mail at U.S. Postal Inspection Service, 222 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1250, Chicago, IL 60606-6100; or via the online complaint form at https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx, if the proposal appears to be fraudulent and was delivered through the U.S. Postal Service.