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

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has learned that counterfeit official checks drawn on First State Bank, Holly Springs, Mississippi, are currently in circulation. The items utilize the bank's routing number: 084204628. The counterfeit items are quite dissimilar in appearance to the bank's genuine checks. Several key differences are the absence of a detailed border and bank logo on the counterfeit instruments. Attached for your review are copies of a counterfeit item and a genuine check (void).

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

Ms. Debra H. Sims
Assistant Vice President
First State Bank
P.O. Box 580
Holly Springs, Mississippi 38635
Telephone: (662) 252-7220
Fax: (662) 252-5039

In addition, The Talbot Bank of Easton, Maryland, Easton, Maryland, has reported counterfeit expense checks are also in circulation. These instruments include the bank's routing number: 052100699. The items are somewhat similar in layout to the bank's genuine checks, but they do not have a border, they include the word "Date" on the right side of the item, and they use four lines instead of two lines to display the phrase "pay to the order of" on the left side of the item. Copies of a counterfeit item and a genuine expense check (void) are attached for your review.

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

Mr. David Morse
Vice President
The Talbot Bank of Easton, Maryland
18 E. Dover Street
Easton, Maryland 21601
Telephone: (410) 822-1400
Fax: (410) 770-9068

Information about these financial institutions or instruments may be forwarded to the FDIC's Special Activities Section, 550 17th Street, NW, Room F-4040, Washington, DC 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2003/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts, Financial Institution Letters and other announcements through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/news/news/announcements/index.html.

Attachment (not available electronically)