Counterfeit cashier’s checks fraudulently associated to Heritage Bank, Jonesboro, Georgia, are in circulation

Heritage Bank in Jonesboro, Georgia, contacted the FDIC to report that counterfeit official checks bearing the institution name of Citizens National Bank (CNB), payable through BB&T, Charleston, West Virginia, are being circulated.

The counterfeit items display the proper routing number of 051900353 for BB&T. (BB&T is one of many correspondent banks used by Travelers Express to clear official checks for institutions served by Travelers Express.) Heritage Bank uses Travelers Express to process its official checks. The check numbering sequence in the upper right-hand corner of the official checks is used by Travelers Express to identify the ultimate payer bank, which, in this case, directed Travelers Express to Heritage Bank. Several of the check numbers on the counterfeit items are identical to the check numbers from Heritage Bank's official checks that were negotiated in 2003; hence, the numbering sequence resulted in Travelers Express contacting Heritage Bank for payment.

Specifically, these counterfeit checks are in even dollar amounts ranging from $3,400 to $37,500; signed by “Tiffany” (last name unreadable); and payable to various individuals. Attached are copies of a Heritage Bank authentic official check (negotiated) and a counterfeit instrument for your review.

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

Ms. Hilda Howington
Head Bookkeeper
Heritage Bank
P.O. Box 935
Jonesboro, GA 30236
Telephone: (678) 284-3408
Fax: (678) 284-3430
hilda.howington@heritage24.com

Information concerning these instruments may be forwarded to the FDIC's Special Activities Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4040, Washington, D.C. 20429. Information also may be 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 on the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/specialalert/2004/index.html. To learn how toautomatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit http://www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Michael J. ZamorskiDirector
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection