Consumers are being warned that personal information they may have shared with a website purporting to be a front for a bank could lead to identity theft – and consumers should take action to safeguard their identities.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) said Monday that an entity calling itself Bluegate Industrial Bank USA, N.A., purports to be an online financial institution offering regular banking products as well as loan services.
“Bluegate Industrial Bank USA, N.A., is not a licensed or chartered bank,” the federal regulator said in a statement.
The OCC said that the website – www.bluegateindustrialbank.com, established Dec. 24, 2017 – offers neither contact information nor a physical address. Potential “customers” are expected to create an account utilizing an online form, the OCC said.
“Consumers who may have created an account on this website by providing personal information are urged to safeguard their identity. Information on identity theft recovery is available on the Federal Trade Commission’s website,” the agency said.
Unauthorized Banking: Bluegate Industrial Bank USA, N.A.