Regulators shut down phony Bedrock bank; unsure if it's a `Flintstones' joke or Internet scam

DENVER (AP) _ Federal regulators shut down a phony Internet bank claiming to be located in the tiny Colorado town of Bedrock _ population 10 _ near the Utah state line. <br/><br/>Through its Web site,

Tuesday, August 31st 2004, 10:27 am

By: News On 6

DENVER (AP) _ Federal regulators shut down a phony Internet bank claiming to be located in the tiny Colorado town of Bedrock _ population 10 _ near the Utah state line.

Through its Web site, the First National Bank of Bedrock offered deposit accounts, investments, debit cards and credit cards, according to the federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The address listed for the bank _ 7729 S. Granite Ave. _ doesn't exist, said Bedrock postmaster Ruth Swain.

Regulators said it was unclear if the Web site was a joke, perhaps in reference to the fictional town on the old ``Flintstones'' TV show.

But the Web site could have been an attempt to collect personal information, said Kevin Mukri, spokesman for the currency comptroller's office.

``There are a lot of scams out there,'' he told the Los Angeles Times. ``Usually, they're after the same thing, personal information and account numbers.''

The Web site seems to have been registered under a fictitious name, the office said.

Bedrock, an old mining town, still receives mail for Fred and Wilma Flintstone and their cartoon pals, Barney and Betty Rubble, said Swain. She stamps them ``Return to Sender: Fictitious Cartoon Character.''