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

Atlantic South Bank, Dublin, Georgia, a division of Wheeler County State Bank, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 061212170, which is assigned to Wheeler County State Bank. A security feature statement is embedded in a darkened top border and along the bottom border between two padlocks. A "VOID" background is displayed when copied. The bank's name – appearing as "atlantic South Bank," with the first letter "a" in "Atlantic" lowercased - is displayed in the top-left corner.

Authentic checks have a blue and green background. A security feature statement is embedded in a darkened top border. The numerical value has arrows in front of it and the written amount under each number. Under the authorized signature line are the statements "SIGNATURE HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND. BORDER CONTAINS MICROPRINTING."

Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic check (VOID) are attached for your review. Be aware that the appearance of counterfeit items can be modified and that additional variations may be presented.

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

Anne Reaves
Vice President
P.O. Box 1267
Dublin, Georgia 31040
Telephone: (478) 272-3082
Fax: (478) 272-7919
E-mail: areaves@wcsb-asb.com

Alternate Contact:

Janet Brown
Vice President
P.O. Box 408
Alamo, Georgia 30411
Telephone: (912) 568-7191
Fax: (912) 568-7134
E-mail: jbrown@wcsb-asb.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. Questions 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/2009/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 electronic images of fraudulent items or authentic checks that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Financial institutions can view images of the fraudulent items and authentic checks (marked as VOID) using the FDIC's free, secure Web site, FDICconnect. (See more information about FDICconnect at http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2006/fil06032.html.) Printed copies of each 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)