New email claims to be from FDIC, threatens users confidential and personal data. A fraudulent e-mail purporting to be from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) offering cash in return for survey information could obtain access to personal and confidential information. The FDIC issued a warning to computer users that it has received numerous reports of fraudulent e-mails that have the appearance of having been sent by the FDIC. The e-mail contains a subject line “Survey Code: STJSPNUPUT.” It reads “you have been chosen by the FDIC to take part in our quick and easy 5 question survey. In response, will credit $100 dollars to your account just for your time.” The FDIC is warning consumers not to click on the link provided in the e-mail, as it is intended to obtain personal information or load malicious software onto users’ computers.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous reports of fraudulent e-mails that appear to be from the FDIC and contain an infected attachment.

The fraudulent e-mails have addresses such as "no.reply@fdic.gov" or "notify84zma@fdic.gov" on the "From" line. The message appears, with spelling and grammatical errors, as follows:

Subject line: "FDIC notification"

Message body:

"Dear customer,
Your account ACH and WIRE transaction have been temporarily suspended for security reasons due to the expiration of your security version. To download and install the newest installations read the document(pdf) attached below.

As soon as it is setup, you transaction abilities will be fully restored.

Best Regards, Online Security departament, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation."

The e-mails contain an attachment "FDIC_document.zip" that will likely release malicious software if opened. These e-mails and attachments are fraudulent and were not sent by the FDIC. Recipients should consider these e-mails an attempt to collect personal or confidential information, or to load malicious software onto end users' computers. Recipients should NOT open the attachment.

Financial institutions and consumers should be aware that these fraudulent e-mails may be modified over time with other subject lines, sender names, and narratives. The FDIC does not directly contact consumers, nor does the FDIC request bank customers to install software upgrades.

Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents, and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 3501 North Fairfax Drive, CH-11034, Arlington, Virginia 22226, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Questions related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's website at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2011/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

E-mails fraudulently claiming to be from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) are attempting to get recipients to click on a link, which may ask them to provide sensitive personal information. These e-mails falsely indicate that FDIC deposit insurance is suspended until the requested customer information is provided.

The fraudulent e-mail informs the recipient that “in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, federal, state and local governments…” the FDIC has withdrawn deposit insurance from the recipient’s account “due to account activity that violates the Patriot Act.” It further states that deposit insurance will remain suspended until identity and account information can be verified using a system called “IDVerify.” If consumers go to the link provided in the e-mail, it is suspected they will be asked for personal or confidential information, or malicious software may be loaded onto the recipient’s computer.

If you receive this email do NOT access the link provided within the body of the e-mail and do not under any circumstances provide any personal information through this media. The FDIC is attempting to identify the source of the e-mails and disrupt the transmission. Help them out by reporting any similar attempts to obtain this information by sending information to alert@fdic.gov.

Read the full alert from the FDIC.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous reports of suspicious telephone calls where the caller claims to represent the FDIC and is calling regarding the collection of an outstanding debt.

To date, the callers have alleged that the call recipient is delinquent in payment of a loan that was applied for over the Internet or made through a payday lender. The loan may or may not actually exist. The caller attempts to authenticate the claim by providing sensitive personal information, such as name, Social Security number, and date of birth, supposedly taken from the loan application. The recipient is then strongly urged to make a payment over the phone to “avoid a lawsuit and possible arrest.” In some instances, the caller is said to sound aggressive and threatening.

These suspicious telephone calls are fraudulent. Recipients should consider them as an attempt to steal money or collect personal identifying information. The FDIC generally does not initiate unsolicited telephone calls to consumers and is not involved with the collection of debts on behalf of operating lenders and financial institutions.

If a caller demonstrates that he or she has the recipient’s sensitive personal information, such as Social Security number, date of birth, and bank account numbers, the recipient may be the victim of identity theft and should review his or her credit reports for signs of possible fraud. The individual should also consider placing a “fraud alert” on his or her credit reports. This can be done by contacting one of the three consumer reporting companies listed below. Only one of the three companies needs to be contacted. That company is required to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of the report.
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, California 92834-6790
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, Georgia 30374-0241
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9554, Allen, Texas 75013

Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC’s Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-3054, Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Questions related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.

Failed New Liberty Bank created opportunity for Bank of Ann Arbor's expansion into Plymouth, reported AnnArbor.com on Sunday, May 16. Bank of Ann Arbor President & CEO Tim Marshall said Bank of Ann Arbor’s strong balance sheet put it into contention to acquire the failed bank and turn it into an expansion opportunity amid the biggest banking crisis in decades.

“You have to be highly rated and financially strong,” Marshall said. “The management team has to have proven that we can make an immediate acquisition and fold it in, and operate it very successfully.”

The acquisition closes a 6-week process during which Bank of Ann Arbor had to be certified by the FDIC to bid on the failed bank.

Read the full article on AnnArbor.com.

On Friday, May 14, the FDIC closed a failing New Liberty Bank in Plymouth, MI and announced its acquisition by Bank of Ann Arbor. AnnArbor.com reported that the acquisition is the first local takeover of a troubled bank since the banking crisis began in 2008. This marks the 70th bank closing so far this year. Read the full article in AnnArbor.com.

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, MAY 14, 2010 – Bank of Ann Arbor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arbor Bancorp, Inc, announced today that it assumed the deposits and acquired substantially all of assets of Plymouth, Michigan-based New Liberty Bank at the close of business today in a transaction facilitated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). Pursuant to the terms of the Purchase and Assumption Agreement entered into with the FDIC, Bank of Ann Arbor assumed approximately $101.8 million in deposits and approximately $95.2 million in loans which are subject to a loss-share agreement with the FDIC.

“I want to assure all New Liberty Bank customers and the Plymouth, Canton and Northville communities that the deposits and business affairs of the former New Liberty Bank are in safe and secure hands,” said Timothy G. Marshall, President & CEO, Bank of Ann Arbor. “Bank of Ann Arbor is a strong, stable institution that understands the needs and concerns of the communities we serve.  Our top priority is to assure New Liberty customers that their deposits are safe and remain readily available.  We welcome the New Liberty employees to the Bank of Ann Arbor team.  It seems only fitting that we would open our newest location in Plymouth on Ann Arbor Road, as it befits our status as Ann Arbor’s premier locally-owned bank.”

The New Liberty office location at 1333 W. Ann Arbor Road, Plymouth, Michigan will reopen during normal business hours beginning Saturday, May 15, 2010 as a branch of Bank of Ann Arbor.  New Liberty depositors will automatically become customers of Bank of Ann Arbor and will have uninterrupted access to their funds, all of which will continue to be insured by the FDIC up to the maximum allowable.  Former New Liberty Bank customers should continue to bank as usual.

Customers who have questions about today’s transaction can call the FDIC toll-free at (800)894-6992.  The phone number will be operational this evening until 9:00 p.m.; on Saturday, May 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; on Sunday, May 16, from Noon to 6:00 p.m.; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Interested parties can also visit the FDIC’s website at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/newlibertymi.html.