Wells River Savings Bank, Wells River, Vermont, 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 211674788, which is assigned to Wells River Savings Bank. The counterfeit items also display the bank's name, the wording "CASHIER'S CHECK," date cell, and amount cell inside of rectangular-shaped boxes throughout the item. The wording "CASHIER'S CHECK" is displayed near the top-center portion of the item. However, authentic checks are referred to as "TREASURER'S CHECKS" and the wording is displayed in the lower-left corner of the checks.

Authentic treasurer's checks display the bank's name in the top-center portion of the check, with the city, state and zip code beneath. Authentic checks do not display any rectangular-shaped boxes.

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:

Mary Jo Locke
Security Officer
Wells River Loan Office
47 Main Street North
Wells River, Vermont 05081
Telephone: (802) 757-3244, extension 240
Fax: (802) 757-3264
E-mail: mjlocke@wrsb.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)