Heritage Bank of Commerce, San Jose, California, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 121142287, which is assigned to Heritage Bank of Commerce, but are dissimilar in appearance to authentic official checks. The counterfeit items display the words "CASHIER'S CHECK" in the top center, and the bank's name in the upper- left corner above a "Remitter" line. The bank's name, address and a telephone number, not associated with the bank, appear in the lower-left corner. The following statement is embedded in the top border: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A GRADUATED BACKGROUND, DARK TO LIGHT. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK."

Authentic official checks display the words "OFFICIAL CHECK" in the top center and the bank's name, address and telephone number in the upper-left corner. Authentic official checks are issued by Integrated Payment Systems Inc., payable through Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and display the routing number 122037171. The checks are gray and fade to pink in the center. A security lock symbol and a description of security features are printed in the lower-right corner. The borders are ornate. The following statement is printed twice below the top border: "HOLD DOCUMENT UP TO THE LIGHT TO VIEW TRUE WATERMARK."

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

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

Jill Howard
Vice President and Central Operations Manager
Heritage Bank of Commerce
150 Almaden Boulevard
San Jose, California 95113
Telephone: (408) 792-4084
Fax: (408) 947-6910
E-mail: jill.howard@herbank.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)