Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Citrus Bank, Orlando, Florida, are reportedly in circulation

The South Financial Group, Greenville, South Carolina, a multi-bank holding company, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name of Citrus Bank, Orlando, Florida, are in circulation. Citrus Bank is no longer in operation as it was acquired by Mercantile Bank, Orlando, Florida, a subsidiary of The South Financial Group, on July 1, 1999. A copy of a counterfeit item is attached for your review.

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

Ted Conroy
Senior Vice President - Director, Corporate Investigations
The South Financial Group
P.O. Box 1029
Greenville, SC 29602
Telephone: (864) 239-4600
Fax: (864) 241-1565
Email: ted.conroy@thesouthgroup.com

Information about these instruments may be forwarded to the FDIC's Special Activities Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4040, 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/2005/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Michael J. ZamorskiDirector
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection