Special Alert: SLS00282

SA-41-2006

3/14/2006

Tecumseh Federal Bank, Tecumseh, Nebraska, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the institution 's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 096016765, which is assigned to Tecumseh Federal Bank, and are similar to authentic cashier's checks in appearance. The counterfeit items bear the bank's name in the top-left corner and the words "CASHIER'S CHECK" in the top center above the bank's address. Additionally, below the signature is the following statement: "Two Authorized Signatures Required for Amounts Over $5,000.00."

Authentic cashier's checks display the bank's logo next to the bank's name in the upper-left corner. In the top center, directly above the bank's address and phone number, are the words "CASHIER'S CHECK." Printed below the dollar amount line is the statement: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A SAFETY PAPER BACKGROUND, MICRO-PRINT AND AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK, LOOK FOR THESE FEATURES WHEN ACCEPTING." "TWO SIGNATURES REQUIRED" is printed above the signature lines.

Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic cashier's check (VOID) are attached for your review.

Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

John Murphy
Vice President
Tecumseh Federal Bank
160 N. 4th Street
Tecumseh, NE 68540-0318
Phone: (402) 335-3384
Fax: (402) 335-4023
Email: murphytbl@neb.rr.com

Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents, and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4004, Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Information related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2006/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Attachment (not available electronically)

NOTE: As a security precaution, the FDIC does not post to its Web site online copies of fraudulent instruments or copies of the genuine instruments that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use the electronic versions of these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Printed copies of fraudulent instruments are mailed with the Special Alert letter to the financial institutions on the letter's distribution list (generally, FDIC-supervised banks – commercial and savings). Printed copies of the Special Alert and its attachment(s) may also be obtained from the FDIC's Public Information Center, telephone: 1-877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200; fax: 703-562-2296; or e-mail: publicinfo@fdic.gov).

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

SA-42-2006

3/14/2006

Reading Co-operative Bank, Reading, Massachusetts, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the institution 's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 211372404, which is assigned to Reading Co-operative Bank, but are dissimilar to authentic official checks. The counterfeit items display the wording "Cashier's Check" in the top-center portion of the item and the bank's name and address in the top-left portion.

Authentic checks display "OFFICIAL BANK CHECK" in the bottom-left corner of the check. The bank's name, address and logo, consisting of a village, are displayed in the top-center portion of authentic checks.

A copy of a counterfeit item and a copy of an authentic official bank check (VOID) are attached for your review.

Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Keith Carl
Vice President
Reading Co-operative Bank
180 Haven Street
Reading, Massachusetts 01867
Telephone: (781) 942-5000
Fax: (781) 944-1401
E-mail: kcarl@readingcoop.com

Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4004, Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Information related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's website at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2006/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Attachment (not available electronically)

NOTE: As a security precaution, the FDIC does not post to its Web site online copies of fraudulent instruments or copies of the genuine instruments that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use the electronic versions of these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Printed copies of fraudulent instruments are mailed with the Special Alert letter to the financial institutions on the letter's distribution list (generally, FDIC-supervised banks – commercial and savings). Printed copies of the Special Alert and its attachment(s) may also be obtained from the FDIC's Public Information Center, telephone: 1-877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200; fax: 703-562-2296; or e-mail: publicinfo@fdic.gov).

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

SA-43-2006

3/14/2006

Athol Savings Bank, Athol, Massachusetts, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 211370998, which is assigned to Athol Savings Bank. The counterfeit items also display the bank's name and street address in the top-left portion of the check and the wording "Cashier's Check" in the top center.

The bank issues treasurer's checks instead of cashier's checks. Authentic checks display the words "TREASURERS CHECK" followed by a branch office name in the top-center portion of the check. Authentic checks also display the bank's logo of the letters "ASB" and the year "1867" inside of a circle in the top-left corner of the check. Adjacent to the logo is the bank's name above the following statement: "Proud of Our Past, Focused on the Future."

A copy of a counterfeit item and a copy of an authentic treasurer's check (VOID) are attached for your review.

Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Cheryl D'Ambra
Senior Vice President-Retail Banking Division
Athol Savings Bank
444 Main St.
Athol, Massachusetts 01331
Telephone: (978) 249-7262, extension 402
Fax: (978) 249-2467
E-mail: cdambra@atholsb.com

Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4004, Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Information related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's website at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2006/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Attachment (not available electronically)

NOTE: As a security precaution, the FDIC does not post to its Web site online copies of fraudulent instruments or copies of the genuine instruments that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use the electronic versions of these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Printed copies of fraudulent instruments are mailed with the Special Alert letter to the financial institutions on the letter's distribution list (generally, FDIC-supervised banks – commercial and savings). Printed copies of the Special Alert and its attachment(s) may also be obtained from the FDIC's Public Information Center, telephone: 1-877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200; fax: 703-562-2296; or e-mail: publicinfo@fdic.gov).

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

SA-44-2006

3/14/2006

Naugatuck Savings Bank, Naugatuck, Connecticut, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 211174178, which is assigned to Naugatuck Savings Bank. However, Naugatuck Savings Bank issues official checks through Travelers Express Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, which has an account at Huntington National Bank, Columbus, Ohio. Authentic official checks bear the routing number 044015543, which is assigned to Huntington National Bank.

The counterfeit items are dissimilar to authentic items in style. The counterfeit items, which display the wording "Cashier's Check" in the top center portion of the item, do not display a bank logo.

Authentic checks are referred to as official checks and display a sunburst logo in the top-center portion of the check; sun rays are displayed throughout the entire check. A honeycomb logo is displayed above the bank's name in the top-left portion. Information pertaining to Travelers Express and the drawee bank, Huntington National Bank, is displayed in the bottom-left corner of the check.

A copy of a counterfeit item and a copy of an authentic cashier's check (VOID) are attached for your review.

Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Thomas R. Nash
Security Officer
Naugatuck Savings Bank
251 Church Street
Naugatuck, Connecticut 06770-0370
Telephone: (203) 720-5335
Fax: (203) 720-5386
E-mail: Thomas.nash@naugsb.com

Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4004, Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Information related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's website at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2006/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Attachment (not available electronically)

NOTE: As a security precaution, the FDIC does not post to its Web site online copies of fraudulent instruments or copies of the genuine instruments that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use the electronic versions of these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Printed copies of fraudulent instruments are mailed with the Special Alert letter to the financial institutions on the letter's distribution list (generally, FDIC-supervised banks – commercial and savings). Printed copies of the Special Alert and its attachment(s) may also be obtained from the FDIC's Public Information Center, telephone: 1-877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200; fax: 703-562-2296; or e-mail: publicinfo@fdic.gov).

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

SA-45-2006

3/14/2006

Hamlin National Bank, Hamlin, Texas, has contacted the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 111304307, which is assigned to Hamlin National Bank, and the items contain the following security statement in the top border: "THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT HAS A BLUE CHECK BACKGROUND ON WHITE PAPER AND A VOID PANTOGRAPH WITH A BLUE SECURITY STRIP IN CENTER." The counterfeit items also display the wording "CASHIER'S CHECK" along the left border. The bank's name appears in the center of the item with a logo to the left – a "1" superimposed on a United States map. The wording "TO THE ORDER OF" appears in the lower-left corner of the item.

Authentic cashier's checks contain a security statement on in the top border, which states: "THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND ON WHITE PAPER." The bank's logo of an eagle is displayed in the top-left portion of the check, followed by the bank's name and address as follows: "HAMLIN NATIONAL BANK, 231 South Central Avenue , Hamlin , Texas 79520 ." The wording "CASHIER'S CHECK" is displayed in the right-center portion of the check, directly beneath the wording "VOID AFTER 180 DAYS."

Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Dan Byerly
Vice President
Hamlin National Bank
231 South Central Avenue
Hamlin, Texas 79520
Telephone: (325) 576-2731
Fax: (325) 576-3390
dbyerly@hnbmail.com

Additional information about this matter that you believe should be brought to the OCC's attention may be forwarded to:

Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4004, Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Information related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's website at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2006/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)