Alliance Bank, Francesville, Indiana, 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 074912674, which is assigned to Alliance Bank. The counterfeit items are being presented in two different formats. The first format is similar to authentic checks, although the words "REMITTER" and "AMOUNT" are not displayed on the item. The second format is dissimilar to authentic checks and lacks the bank's logo of a flag in the top center; however, the items include the bank's name and location in the top-left corner.

Authentic cashier's checks display the wording "CASHIER'S CHECK" in the upper-right third of the check. The authentic check's logo is a flag, which appears above the bank's name and location in the top-center portion of the check. Authentic checks display the words "REMITTER," "DATE" and "AMOUNT" across the center lines of the check.

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:

Shari Hacker
Security Administrator
Alliance Bank
208 N. Meadow St.
P.O. Box 298
Otterbein, Indiana 47940
Telephone: (765) 583-4437
Fax: (765) 583-3272
E-mail: shacker@myalliancebank.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)