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



 Home > News & Events > Special Alerts



Special Alerts

SA-56-2006
March 15, 2006


TO: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (also of interest to Security Officer)
SUBJECT: Counterfeit Cashier's Checks
Summary: Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on The State Bank of Viroqua, Viroqua, Wisconsin, are reportedly in circulation.

The State Bank of Viroqua, Viroqua, Wisconsin, 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 075910905, which is assigned to The State Bank of Viroqua; however, they are dissimilar to authentic cashier's checks. The counterfeit items display the wording "CASHIER'S CHECK" in the upper-left portion of the item and the bank's name in the top-left corner. The counterfeit items also display a telephone number not associated with the bank.

Authentic cashier's checks display a semicircle logo above the bank's name in the top-center portion of the check. Authentic checks also display the wording "CASHIER'S CHECK" in the bottom-left portion of the check. The checks do not display a telephone number. The following statement is displayed along the top of authentic checks: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A MICRO-PRINT SIGNATURE LINE, WATERMARK AND A THERMOCHROMIC ICON. ABSENCE OF THESE FEATURES WILL INDICATE A COPY."

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:

Tom Trautsch
Assistant Vice President
The State Bank of Viroqua
101 Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
Telephone: (608) 637-3127
Fax: (608) 637-3394
Email: infodesk@statebanviroqua.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.

  Sandra L. Thompson
  Acting Director
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection

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)

Last Updated 03/15/2006 communications@fdic.gov