SPECIAL ALERT

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has learned that counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on eight separate financial institutions are in circulation. It appears these checks may be circulating nationwide. Information about the counterfeit items follows.

• Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Corus Bank, Chicago, Illinois . The bank's legitimate routing number, 071002503, is used on the counterfeits. Attached for your information is a copy of one of the counterfeit items. Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of:

  Mr. Frank Lamar
  Operations Special Services Supervisor
  Corus Bank
  P. O. Box 87144
  Chicago, Illinois 60680-0144
  Telephone: (773) 832-7930

• Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on First Citrus Bank, Tampa, Florida . The routing number used on the items, 063114810, is the routing number for another Florida bank. Attached for your information is a copy of one of the counterfeit items. Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of:

  Mr. John Linton
  First Citrus Bank
  13850 Sheldon Road
  Tampa, Florida 33626
  Telephone: (813) 926-5588
  Fax: (813) 920-3814

• Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Liberty National Bank, Longwood, Florida . The routing numbers used on the items, 122000496 and 063114810, are the routing numbers for a California bank and another Florida bank, respectively. Attached for your information is a copy of one of the bank's legitimate cashier's checks and copies of four of the counterfeit items. Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of:

  Ms. Joyce Franklin
  Liberty National Bank
  502 N. Highway 17-92
  Longwood, Florida 32750
  Telephone: (407) 831-1776
  Fax: (407) 831-1443

• Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Abington Savings Bank, Abington, Massachusetts . The bank's legitimate routing number, 211371308, is used on the counterfeits. Attached for your information is a copy of the bank's legitimate cashier's check and copies of two of the counterfeit items. Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of:

  Ms. Ida C. Frazier
  Vice President
  Abington Savings Bank
  533 Washington Street
  Abington, Massachusetts 02351
  Telephone: (781) 792-1122
  Fax: (781) 982-3225

• Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on SunTrust Bank, East Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee . The bank's legitimate routing number, 064202750, is used on the counterfeits. Attached for your information is a copy of one of the counterfeit items. Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

  Ms. Stephanie J. Hardiman
  Security Manager
  SunTrust Bank, East Tennessee
  700 East Hill Street
  Knoxville, Tennessee 37915
  Telephone: (865) 544-2589
  Fax: (865) 544-2513

• Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on National City Bank of Michigan/Illinois, Bannockburn, Illinois , and counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on "National City Bank" with no further identifying information on the item. These items indicate they are payable through Integrated Payment Systems, Inc., Englewood, Colorado. One indicates the paying bank as Norwest Bank, Colorado N.A., Denver, Colorado, and the other indicates the paying bank is Citibank (New York State), Buffalo, N.Y. Financial institutions can confirm the validity of checks marked "Issued by Integrated Payment Systems, Inc., Englewood, Colorado" by calling 1-800-223-7520 and following the guided menu. Attached for your information are copies of the counterfeit items.

• Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Community Bank, Covina, California . The bank's legitimate routing number, 122203471, is used on the counterfeits. Attached for your information is a copy of the bank's legitimate cashier's check and a copy of one of the counterfeit items. The legitimate checks are light gray with burgundy print. The bank's name is printed in dark gray. The counterfeits are light brown with a dark brown border on the top of the checks that contains the following statement: "THIS INSTRUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND, VOID PANTOGRAPH AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK." Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of:

  Ms. Deborah Grant
  Vice President and Operations Support Officer
  Community Bank
  1041 West Badillo Street, Suite 200
  Covina, California 91722
  Telephone: (626) 974-1214
  Fax: (626) 974-1212

Information about these instruments also may be forwarded to the FDIC's Special Activities Section, 550 17th Street, NW, Room F-6012, Washington, DC 20429. Information also may be transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov .

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." To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Financial Institution Letters through e-mail, please visit http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/announcements/index.html .

Attachments (not available electronically)

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).