Bank of Stockton, Stockton, California, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing a similar name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 121101037, which is assigned to Bank of Stockton, but are dissimilar to authentic checks in appearance. The counterfeit items display the wording "CASHIER'S CHECK" along the left border. "Stockton Bank, Austin, Texas" appears on two lines in the top center of the item to the right of a logo of a "1" superimposed on a United States map. The wording "TO THE ORDER OF" appears in the lower-left corner of the item.

Authentic cashier's checks display the bank's gold scale logo and date established in the upper- left corner. The bank name and the words "CASHIER'S CHECK" appear in cursive script in the top center above the bank's address. Authentic items have ornate borders on all sides, gold foil on both sides, and are mint green in color.

Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic check (VOID) are attached for your review.

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

Susan Feston
Bank of Stockton
P. O. Box 1110
Stockton, CA 95201
Telephone (209) 929-1204
Fax: (209) 465-9445
E-mail: susanjfeston@bankofstockton.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/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)