Special Alert

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has learned that the following entities may be operating a banking business in the United States illegally or without authorization. All of the entities were incorporated in the State of Indiana; however, the location(s) of their actual operations is unknown. The State of Indiana Department of Financial Institutions has not issued banking licenses to these entities, and they are not authorized to conduct a banking business in the state. Proposed transactions involving these entities should be viewed with extreme caution.

American Bank of Commerce Corp.
American Overseas Bank for Trade, Inc.
American Overseas Trust Bank, Inc.
Benelux Bank of Commerce & Credit, Inc.
British Royal Bank of Commerce, Inc.
California Bank for Commerce & Industry, Inc.
California Bank of Commerce, Inc.
Canadian-American Banking Corporation for Trade, Inc.
Channel Island Bank of Trade, Inc.
Charter Bank of USA, Inc. (a/k/a Charter Bank of America, Inc.)
Credit & Guaranty Bank for Commerce & Industry, Inc.
Credit Bank of the Americas, Inc.
FIR Bank & Trust Corp.
First International Commonwealth Bank Corporation
First Interstate Bank of the Americas, Inc.
First National Bank of the Americas, Inc.
First National Commonwealth Bank Corp.
First Royal Bank of Commerce, Inc.
First State Bank of the USA, Inc. (f/k/a Caralfan International Bank Corporation, Inc.)
Geneva Bank of Commerce & Credit, Inc.
Intercontinental Bank of the Americas, Inc.
Intercontinental Bank of the Middle East, Inc.
Monaco Bank of Commerce, Inc.
National Bank of Commonwealth Corp.
National Bank of Comores, Inc.
Overseas Investment Banking Corporation for Trade, Inc.
Redland Merchant Bank of New York, Inc.
Reserve Bank & Trust of the Americas, Inc.
Royal Trust Bank of the Americas, Inc.
Saudi Bank of the Middle East & the Americas, Inc.
Transcontinental Investment Banking Corporation, Inc.
Transpacific Investment Banking Corporation of Commerce, Inc.
U. S. Bank for Trade & Industry, Inc.
U. S. Banking Confederation for Investment, Inc.
Wall Street Investment Banking Corporation, Inc.

Please forward any information concerning these entities to the State of Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, 402 West Washington Street, Room W066, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. Information about these entities also may be forwarded to the FDIC's Special Activities Section, 550 17th Street, NW, Room F-6012, Washington, DC 20429. For your reference, all FDIC Financial Institution Letters published since January of 1995 may be found on the FDIC's Web site at www.fdic.gov under "News, Events & FOIA."

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

NOTE: Paper copies of FDIC financial institution letters may be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW, Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (800-276-6003 or (703) 562-2200).