Counterfeit official checks drawn on Southbridge Savings Bank, Southbridge, Massachusetts, are reportedly in circulation

Southbridge Savings Bank, Southbridge, Massachusetts, 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 a proper routing number of 096016765 for Southbridge Savings Bank; however, authentic official checks are payable through Travelers Express Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota. The fraudulent items are markedly dissimilar to authentic bank checks. The layout, style and fonts are different. In addition, the counterfeit items use the term "OFFICIAL BANK DRAFT," which is located in the bottom-left portion of the check; Southbridge Savings Bank checks use the term "OFFICIAL CHECK," which is also located in the bottom-left portion of the check. A copy of a counterfeit item and a copy of an authentic official check (VOID) are attached for your review.

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

Cheryl A. Caouette
Collector
Southbridge Savings Bank
253-257 Main Street, P.O. Box 370
Southbridge, Massachusetts 01550
Telephone: (508) 764-0073
Fax: (508) 764-0793
ccaouette@southbridgesavingsbank.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