The government has reported that a fake form is in circulation asking non-residents in the country for verification of bank accounts.

From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance in Panama:

The Ministry of Finance wishes to make public knowledge, that there is a Verification Form for Non Resident Bank Accounts in Panama in circulation that is fraudulent, since in the organizational structure of the institution there is no such unit.

In a note signed by the Minister Frank De Lima, addressed to the Superintendency of Banks, it said that the MEF has not delivered the form in question, or written any of its content. It also indicates that the data requested on the form, has not been required by the institution or any of its addresses.

The fraudulent form targets bank account holders who are non residents in Panama and also requests sensitive information from potential customers, for unknown purposes.

In one of the forms there appears the name of Elder Federico Sánchez , who masquerades as an official of the National Government in the department of bank regulation, a department that does not exist in the Ministry of Finance.