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TALLAHASSEE - Attorney General Charlie Crist today advised consumers of a new and aggressive financial scam that leaves no Floridian immune from attack – including the Attorney General himself. Last week, Crist received two cashier's checks totaling $21,000 attempting to draw the Attorney General into the latest variation of a familiar scam.

For more than two decades, authorities have battled an international mail scheme commonly known as the "Nigerian Bank Scam." In its traditional form, the scam involves a promise that an individual will pay the victim from a large pool of money being held overseas, if the victim first sends a smaller amount of money as "security." The victim sends the money but then never again hears from the sender.

Recently, a new twist on the old system has emerged. In this variation, the victim receives a cashier's check in the mail or via overnight delivery. The check is for a large sum of money from what appears to be a nationally recognized banking institution. No explanation accompanies the check, but the victim may attempt to deposit it into his or her bank account. Should the victim's bank accept the deposit, the check is routed to the financial institution of origin, where it is discovered that the account has been closed. The check is then forwarded to the original holder of the closed account, who now has the victim's banking information. It can take some time for the victim to realize that the integrity of his or her bank account has been compromised.

"The audacity of these criminals is breathtaking," said Crist. "It's clear that these scam artists will stop at nothing, and spare no one, in their shameless ploy to make a quick buck. This is a vivid reminder that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. It is important that all Florida consumers are aware of this threat."

Crist is a leader in efforts against identity theft and other scams, and immediately recognized that the cashier's checks were of dubious authenticity. He contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to alert them to the scheme. FDLE confirmed that the checks are indeed part of a scam, and said it appears to be a variant on the traditional Nigerian check scam. FDLE is now investigating this new development.

Consumers who receive any type of similar cashier's check or solicitation to participate in an advanced pay scheme should immediately contact their local U.S. Secret Service office. Attorney General Crist also offers these suggestions to avoid becoming the victim of such a scheme:

- Avoid providing your personal or banking information to any unknown person or business.
- If you receive a request for personal or banking information from an unknown person or business, do not reply in any manner.
- Avoid any behavior that might result in the compromised integrity of any personal information, including bank account numbers and credit information.

Detailed information on identity theft prevention and steps to take if one becomes a victim can be found at
http://myfloridalegal.com/identitytheft

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement suggests that those looking for more information to protect themselves from such schemes visit these web sites:
www.secureflorida.org
www.secretservice.gov/alert419.shtml