Bandera Bank, Bandera, Texas, 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 114918305, which is assigned to Bandera Bank, but are dissimilar to authentic cashier's checks in style and format. The counterfeit items display the wording "CASHIER'S CHECK" across the left edge of the item, and the dollar amount is shown in block characters. The counterfeit items also display a logo of a "1" inside of a map of the United States superimposed onto a globe.

Authentic checks display the wording "CASHIER'S CHECK" in the top center and a logo of two interlocking "Bs" in a parallelogram in the top-left portion of the check. These checks also display the bank's telephone number adjacent to the logo.

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:

Ken Finley
Executive Vice President
Bandera Bank
P. O. Box 1596
Bandera, Texas 78003
Telephone: (830) 796-3711
Fax: (830) 796-8104
kfinley@banderabank.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.

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)