ViewPoint Bank, Plano, Texas, 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 are reportedly associated with a lottery scam and included with correspondence from Heritage Trust, Wheatley, Ontario. The notification states that the recipient has unclaimed prize money and includes a check to cover processing charges. The notification letter reflects two telephone numbers with the 519 area code.

The counterfeit items include the routing number 022000868, which is assigned to Citibank-New York State. ViewPoint Bank issues official checks through an Integrated Payment Systems, Inc. account held at Citibank. The counterfeit items display "Cashiers Check" in the top-center portion and the bank's name, mailing address and a toll-free telephone number in the top-left corner of the item. However, the telephone number is not associated with the bank. The word "Pay" is located on the left side below the address and above the wording "PAY TO THE ORDER OF." The following security wording is printed vertically and embedded within the right border of the items: "Security features included. Details on back."

Authentic checks are referred to as official checks and have a patterned border around the top, right and left sides. Security wording is printed directly beneath the top border. In addition, authentic checks display the bank's mailing address, telephone number (972-578-5000) and Web address (www.viewpointbank.com) in the top-left corner of the check. A lock symbol appears inside the right border of the check.

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

To verify the authenticity of ViewPoint checks, please contact Integrated Payment Systems at (800) 223-7520. Additionally, any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Jennifer Kent
Fraud and Security Manager
ViewPoint Bank
1309 W. 15th Street
Plano, Texas 75075
Telephone: (972) 509-2003
Fax: (972) 467-1006
E-mail: Jennifer.kent@viewpointbank.com

To report this scam or any other scam based in or mailed from Canada, please contact Phonebusters, which is a joint partnership between the Ontario Provincial Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Phonebusters is interested in receiving copies of scam letters, particularly those involving Canadian mailing addresses or telephone numbers. Records relating to the payment of advance fees should also be forwarded to Phonebusters. This information is used to assist in the strategic targeting of would-be fraudsters. Scam letters should be forwarded to the Phonebusters National Call Center (PNCC) as follows:

Mail:	Box 686 North Bay, Ontario, Canada P1B 8J8
Web site:	www.phonebusters.com
Telephone:	+1 (888) 495-8501 (toll-free in Canada and the USA)
Fax:	+1 (888) 654-9426 (toll-free in Canada and the USA)
E-mail:	info@phonebusters.com
Advance fee fraud (including Nigerian and lottery letters): wafl@phonebusters.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 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.

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)