Counterfeit official checks drawn on Melrose Co-operative Bank, Melrose, Massachusetts, are reportedly in circulation

Melrose Co-operative Bank, Melrose, 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 the proper routing number of 211370833 for Melrose Co-operative Bank. While the fraudulent items use a similar layout, the style and fonts are different from authentic checks. 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:

Shirley Kelley
Vice President Compliance/Operations
Melrose Co-operative Bank
638 Main Street
Melrose, Massachusetts 02176
Telephone: (781) 665-2500
Fax: (781) 665-2871
kelleys@melrosecoop.com

Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity 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.

Christopher J. SpothActing Director
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection