Each depositor insured to at least $250,000 per insured bank

The Torrington Savings Bank, Torrington, 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 211174165, which is assigned to The Torrington Savings Bank. The counterfeit items are referred to as "Cashier's Checks"; however, authentic checks are referred to as "Treasurer's Checks." While the layout of the counterfeit items appears similar to the layout of authentic checks, the counterfeit items lack a logo in the upper-left corner of the check. Also, the counterfeit items display a 1-800 telephone number, which is not associated with the bank, and display an address, which was the address of a former branch location closed in 1997. A copy of a counterfeit item and an authentic cashier's check (VOID) are attached for your review.

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

Paul Reardon
Vice President and Security Officer
Torrington Savings Bank
129 Main Street.
Torrington, Connecticut 06790
Telephone: (860) 496-2152
Fax: (860) 496-4470
Preardon@torringtonsavings.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/2005/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, 801 17th Street, NW, Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (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)