Security Alert – Counterfeit Checks

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) is aware that certain individuals may have received counterfeit checks with MassMutual’s name or logo on them. Communication with potential victims varies and includes mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, telephone, e-mail, and overnight delivery services.

The counterfeit checks are often associated with the following:

- Sweepstakes, lottery, or other advance-fee schemes where the communications request recipients to send money in order to receive the prize or money promised.
- Merchandise sold over the internet or through the mail where the buyers’ checks exceed the purchase amounts and the purchasers instruct the sellers to send the balance back.

MassMutual is not affiliated in any way with these fraudulent activities or with the counterfeit checks, which have absolutely no value.

What to do:
If you are suspicious about any check you receive with MassMutual’s name or logo on it, you can call MassMutual’s Treasury Bank Reconciliation Unit at (413) 744-3330 to verify the check’s authenticity.

If you discover that you received a counterfeit check or notification via mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service or telephone, consider filing a mail fraud complaint with your local Postmaster or directly with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at United States Postal Inspection Service.

If you discover that you received a counterfeit check via UPS, FedEx, or other non-Postal Service overnight delivery service and communications or solicitation have involved the internet or e-mail, consider filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection - Consumer Information or with the FBI’s Internet Crime Unit at Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

You should also consider filing a complaint with your local police department.