Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Castle Bank & Trust Company, Meriden, Connecticut, are reportedly in circulation

Castle Bank & Trust Company, Meriden, Connecticut, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that fraudulent cashier's checks bearing the bank's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the proper routing number of 011110620, which is assigned to Castle Bank & Trust Company. The counterfeit and authentic checks are markedly dissimilar. Authentic checks contain the bank's logo on the upper-left side of the check. The words "Official Check" appear in the top, center portion of the authentic checks. Authentic checks do not contain an address or telephone number. Counterfeit checks do not display the bank's logo and are referred to as "Cashier's Check." Bank management has reported that the telephone number printed on the counterfeit checks is answered with the bank's name, although the number is not associated with the bank. Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic item (VOID) are attached for your review.

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

Robert Nixon
Vice President
Castle Bank & Trust Company
100 Hanover Street
Meriden, Connecticut 06451
Telephone: (203) 639-2806
Fax: (203) 639-2808
Email: bnixon@castlebank.biz

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