Riverside Bank of the Gulf Coast, Cape Coral, Florida, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the bank's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 067014343, which is assigned to Riverside Bank of the Gulf Coast. The counterfeit items display the bank's name in red and blue lettering in the top-center portion of the item. There are at least two versions of the counterfeit items. One version displays the wording "Cashiers Check" to the right of the bank's name; the other version does not. Digitally imprinted signatures are used on the counterfeit items. The counterfeit items contain the following security wording embedded in the top border: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK."

Authentic cashier checks display the bank's name as a silver hologram in the top-center portion of the check, with the wording "Cashiers Check" shown to the right of the name. Authentic checks are individually signed rather than having the digital signatures.

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

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

Machelle Shirk
BSA/CIP/Security Officer
Riverside Bank of the Gulf Coast
521 Del Prado Boulevard
Cape Coral, Florida 33990
Telephone: (239) 573-9000
Fax: (239) 242-2926
E-mail: info@riversidegc.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 electronic images of fraudulent items or authentic checks that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Financial institutions can view images of the fraudulent items and authentic checks (marked as VOID) using the FDIC's free, secure Web site, FDICconnect. (See more information about FDICconnect at http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2006/fil06032.html.) Printed copies of each 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)