Gorham Savings Bank, Gorham, Maine, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit official checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 211274573, which is assigned to Gorham Savings Bank, and are similar to authentic checks. However, the counterfeit items contain the following statement embedded within the top border: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND HIGH RESOLUTION BORDER. THE REVERSE SIDE OF THIS DOCUMENT HAS AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK."

Authentic checks display the following statement embedded in small print within the top border: "THIS INSTRUMENT HAS MICRO PRINTING, BLEEDING RED CONSECUTIVE NUMBERING."

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:

Kate Carney
Security Officer
Gorham Savings Bank
10 Wentworth Drive
Gorham, Maine 04038
Telephone: (207) 839-5209, extension 1542
Fax: (207) 839-4233
E-mail: ccarney@gorhamsavingsbank.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)