Georgia Attorneys Title Guaranty Fund

Underwriting Bulletin No. 77

April 19, 2002

SUBJECT: “FICTITIOUS” CERTIFIED CHECKS / VERIFICATION
Recent Home Office Bulletins have alerted us that certain fictitious “certified checks” are in circulation. Certain of these Bulletins are attached hereto.

Further information can be obtained by logging onto the FDIC web site located at the following address: www.fdic.gov and by clicking onto “Newsroom, Events & FOIA” at that site.

These events, bulletins and websites should remind everyone to be as careful as possible by verifying that checks you receive, whether they are certified checks, bank checks or official checks, are genuinely issued especially by banks or other institutions with which you are unfamiliar. Please consider placing a call to the issuer institution before disbursing on them if you have any doubts about the institution or the parties who are presenting the checks. If you have the capability you may view these Bulletins on Eagle Central.

Please contact the underwriting Department at the Georgia State Office at 800-328-2642 or 404- 250-1609 if you have any questions.

Bulletin No: HONA 95
Filed: 04-05-2002
Name: Counterfeit Official Bank Checks Written
By: Richard W. Flory

FDIC Memo # “ FIL-89-2001, October 22, 2001” – Counterfeit Official Bank Checks

The FDIC has learned that counterfeit checks have been drawn on four separate banks and are in circulation.

· The first is Corus Bank, Chicago, Illinois. Counterfeit cashier’s checks have been drawn on Corus Bank and are in circulation. Attached for your information is a copy of one of the counterfeit items. Similar items have been circulated using the same check number and the same amount. The checks have appeared in the New England area.

Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of: Mr. Warren Goldberg - Legal/Fraud Manager Corus Bank 3179 Clark Street Chicago, IL 60657 Telephone: (773) 832-7988 Fax: (773) 244-7921

· The second bank is First Savings Bank, Woodbridge, New Jersey. Counterfeit teller’s checks have been drawn on First Savings Bank and also are3 in circulation. Attached is a copy of one of the counterfeit items and a copy of one of the bank’s legitimate checks. The perpetrator has attempted to negotiate the checks in the state of Georgia and in South Africa.

The legitimate checks are light blue mixed with a white background. The print is dark blue except for the check number, which is printed in red. The Federal Home Loan Bank logo appears in the bottom left corner. The counterfeit checks are light blue with no white mix. The print is black. The Federal Home Loan Bank logo is missing on the counterfeit items.

Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of: Ms. Karen Martino - Audit Department First Savings Bank 1000 Woodbridge Center Drive Woodbridge NJ 07095-5003 Telephone: (732) 726-5516

· The third bank is Heritage Bank of Nevada, Reno Nevada. Counterfeit cashier’s checks have been drawn on Heritage Bank and are in circulation. Attached is a copy of one of the counterfeit items and a copy of one of the bank’s legitimate checks. To date, the only items presented have appeared in Nevada.

The legitimate checks have a yellow body with a green border. The counterfeit items are pink on the left side graduating to maroon on the right side. The have the bank’s logo in the lower left corner. The legitimate checks do not display the bank logo.

Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of: Ms. Terry Parker – Heritage Bank of Nevada 1401 South Virginia Street Reno, NV 89502 Telephone: (775) 348-1000 Fax: (775) 348-1022

· The fourth bank is Regional Bank, New Albany, Indiana. Counterfeit official checks have been drawn on Regional Bank and are in circulation. Attached are copies of two of the counterfeit items and a copy of one of the bank’s legitimate checks. To date, the items presented have appeared in New York. The counterfeit checks display the name “Regional Bank of Indian, Inc,” which is not the correct name of the bank. Addresses and phone numbers on the counterfeits do not match legitimate telephone numbers and locations of the bank. The routing number is also missing.

Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of: Mr. Michael K. Bauer Regional Bank 100 East Spring Street New Albany, IN 47151 Telephone: (812) 948-5500, ext. 504 Fax: (812) 948-5537

Information about any of these counterfeit 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 Institutions Letters through e-mail, please visit http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/announcements/index.html.

We strongly recommend you visit this site and print out the memo(s) and distribute to your offices accordingly.

Please feel free to contact us here in the home office underwriting department if you have any questions or comments.

Bulletin No: HONA 99
Filed: 04-16-2002
Name: Sanborne Savings & Trust Company - Fictitious Checks
Written By: Richard Flory

The FDIC has learned that fictitious “certified” checks are in circulation.

The checks bear the name Sanborne Savings & Trust Company, P.O. Box 1475, Birmingham, AL 35233. A telephone number, 205-250-7151 is also printed on the checks. The routing number used on the checks is assigned to Sanborn Savings Bank, Sanborn, IA, a legitimate banking institution. The Alabama State Banking Department has confirmed that Sanborne Savings & Trust Company does not exist in the state of Alabama. Photocopies of some of the fictitious checks are attached for your information. To date, the checks have been negotiated primarily in the southeastern United States.

Information about these checks or similar items 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 updates published since January of 1995 may be found on the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov under “Newsroom, 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.

We strongly recommend you visit this site and print out the memo(s) and distribute to your offices accordingly.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of us in the Underwriting Department.

Bulletin No: HONA101
Filed: 04-16-2002
Name: Counterfeit Cashier's Checks
Written By: Richard Flory

The FDIC has learned that additional counterfeit cashier’s checks drawn on the Exchange Bank, Santa Rosa, California, are in circulation. The latest items bear the routing number of the Valley Bank of Kalispell, Kalispell, Montana. Circulation of the items seems to be widespread. It also appears the counterfeit items presented to date are being used in connection with a foreign lottery telemarketing scam described in FIL-78-2000 (dated November 16, 2000) and FIL-60-2001 (dated July 9, 2001).

Attached for your information is a copy of one of the bank’s legitimate cashier’s checks and three copies of the counterfeit instruments.

For information about the validity of Exchange Bank cashier’s checks, call the bank’s customer service numbers, (800) 995-4066 or (707) 524-3000. If you believe your bank has been a victim of this fraudulent activity, or if you have any information about this matter, contact: Mr. Michael Leonard – Security Officer Exchange Bank 545 Fourth Street Santa Rosa CA 95401-6368 Telephone: (707) 524- 3257 Fax: (707) 526-6866

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.

For your reference, all FDIC updates published since January of 1995 may be found on the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov under “Newsroom, 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.

We strongly recommend you visit this site and print out the memo(s) and distribute to your offices accordingly.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of us in the Underwriting Department.

Bulletin No: HONA 103
Filed: 04-17-2002
Name: Sanborne Trust Company Bank - Fictitious Checks
Written By: Richard Flory

The FDIC has learned that fictitious “certified” checks are in circulation. The checks bear the name Sanborne Trust Company Bank, 2501 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL. A telephone number, 205-250-7151, is printed on the checks as well as “Member FDIC.” The Sanborne Trust Company does not exist. The routing number used on the checks is assigned to Sanderson State Bank, Sanderson, TX, a legitimate banking institution. Endorsements indicate the items are being negotiated nearly nationwide. Photocopies of some of the fictitious checks are attached for your information.

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

For your reference, all FDIC updates published since January of 1995 may be found on the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/ under “Newsroom, 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.

We strongly recommend you visit this site and print out the memo(s) and distribute to your offices accordingly.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of us in the Underwriting Department.

*Please see the printable version of UB# 77 for photocopies of some of the fictitious checks.

Printable version: ub77.pdf

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