Counterfeit cashier's and teller's checks, drawn on Southern Bank and Trust Co, Mount Olive, North Carolina, and Hudson River Bank & Trust Co, Hudson, New York, respectively, are in circulation

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has learned that counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Southern Bank and Trust Company, Mount Olive, North Carolina, are currently in circulation. While all of the known counterfeit items bear the bank's routing number of 053102586 and include one signature line, a few counterfeit items do not have the phrase "Since 1901" above the bank name. The word "VOID" appears four times along the base of the check when copied. Attached for your review is an example of a genuine bank cashier's check (void).

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

Mr. David A. Bean
Chief Financial Officer
Southern Bank and Trust Company
121 East Main Street
Mount Olive, North Carolina 28365-0729
Telephone: (919) 658-7007
FAX: (919) 658-7065

In addition, counterfeit teller's checks drawn on Hudson River Bank & Trust Company, Hudson, New York, are in circulation. The items bear the bank's routing number of 221370616 and are quite similar in appearance to genuine bank official instruments, with the exception of the lot number and security lock icon, which are closer to the top border of the item on a genuine check. Attached for your review is an example of a genuine check (void).

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

Ms. Jane M. Scott
Assistant Vice President - Retail
Hudson River Bank & Trust Company
One Hudson City Centre
Hudson, New York 12534
Telephone: (518) 828-2600, extension 126
FAX: (518) 828-0697

Information about these financial institutions or instruments may be forwarded to the FDIC's Special Activities Section, 550 17th Street, NW, Room F-4040, Washington, DC 20429 or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2003/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts, Financial Institution Letters and other announcements through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/news/news/announcements/index.html.

Michael J. ZamorskiDirector