Great Western Bank, Omaha, Nebraska, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

Counterfeit items bear the routing number 096016765, which is a payable-through account at Firstar Bank of Minnesota, N.A., St. Paul, Minnesota (now known as U.S. Bank, N.A., Cincinnati, Ohio). Counterfeit items are similar to authentic checks. The following statement is embedded in the top border of the counterfeit items: "THIS CHECK IS VOID WITHOUT A GREEN & BLUE BORDER AND BACKGROUND PLUS A KNIGHT & FINGERPRINT WATERMARK ON THE BACK – HOLD AT ANGLE TO VIEW." Counterfeit items have ornate side borders and the following statement printed above the bottom border on right side: "SIGNATURE AREA CONTAINS A KNIGHT& FINGERPRINT CHECK WORDING."

The following words are embedded in the top margin of authentic checks: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A TRUE WATERMARK. HOLD UP TO LIGHT TO VIEW. THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT HAS A MICROPRINT SIGNATURE LINE. ABSENCE OF THESE FEATURES WILL INDICATE A COPY."

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

Concerns or information regarding possible counterfeit items can be directed to:

Kimberly Boatwright
Security Officer and BSA Administrator
Great Western Bank
6015 Northwest Radial Highway.
Omaha, Nebraska 68104
Telephone: (402) 952-6027
Fax: (402) 552-1209
Email: Kimberly.boatwright@greatwesternbank.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)