Change of address fraud

Extract from:

Disciplinary and Other NASD Actions (Reported for February)[2004]

Gregory Lee Lewis (CRD #3177053, Registered Representative, Plano, Texas) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent in which he was fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any NASD member in any capacity for one year. The fine must be paid before Lewis reassociates with any NASD member following the suspension or before requesting relief from any statutory disqualification. Without admitting or denying the allegations, Lewis consentedto the described sanctions and to the entry of findings that he submitted a life insurance application to his member firm on behalf of a public customer who cancelled the policy and Lewis' member firm prepared a refund check payable to the customer for all premiums paid. The findings also stated that, before the refund check was mailed to the customer, Lewis changed the customer's address of record to an address he controlled, took the customer's check, signed his and the customer's name on it without the customer's authorization, cashed it, and then delivered the funds to another individual without his firm's knowledge or consent.

Lewis' suspension will begin February 17, 2004, and will conclude at the close of business February 16, 2005. (NASD Case #C06030032)

Link to Improving New Account Opening post