Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Downey Savings and Loan Association, FA, Newport Beach, California, are reportedly in circulation

Downey Savings and Loan Association, F.A., Newport Beach, California, 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 display the institution's proper routing number of 322270356. The counterfeit items and the authentic checks are similar. The authentic cashier's checks are printed on yellow paper and have a "Downey Savings" watermark across the face of the checks. The counterfeit items are printed in a variety of colors, but lack the watermark. Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic cashier's check (VOID) are attached for your review.

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

Jim White, Vice-President/Director of Security
Downey Savings and Loan Association, F.A.
3501 Jamboree Road
Newport Beach, California 92658
Telephone: (949) 509-4150
Fax: (949) 823-5487
Email: jwhite@downeysavings.com

Information about these instruments 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/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