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Special Alerts

SA-245-2006
August 24, 2006


TO: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (also of interest to Security Officer)
SUBJECT: Counterfeit Checks
Summary: Counterfeit checks bearing the name Citizens Community Federal, Altoona, Wisconsin, are reportedly in circulation.

Citizens Community Federal, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 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 071004501, which is assigned to the Federal Home Loan Bank, Chicago, Illinois. Citizens Community Federal issues checks through the Federal Home Loan Bank. The counterfeit items are similar to authentic checks issued by the bank's Altoona, Wisconsin, branch. The following statement is embedded in the top border of the counterfeit items: "FOR SECURITY PURPOSES THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING IN THE BORDER." Embedded in the top border of authentic checks is the following statement: "THIS CHECK HAS VARIOUS SECURITY FEATURES INCLUDING COLORED BACKGROUND, MICROPRINTING & LINED WATERMARK."

Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic check (VOID) are attached for your review. Be aware
that the appearance of counterfeit items may be modified and that additional variations are possible.

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

Becky Johnson
Vice President
Citizens Community Federal
2174 East Ridge Center
Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701
Telephone: (715) 836-9994, ext 120
Fax: (715) 831-4299
E-mail: blj@citizenscommunityfederal.net

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.

Sandra L. Thompson
Acting Director
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection

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)




Last Updated 8/24/2006 communications@fdic.gov

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