Counterfeit money orders and treasurer's checks drawn on Country Bank for Savings, Ware, Massachusetts

Country Bank for Savings, Ware, Massachusetts, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 211870980, which is assigned to Country Bank for Savings, Ware, Massachusetts. The counterfeit money orders are relatively similar to authentic money orders. However, the font size is different and the counterfeit items do not state “Not Valid Over $1,000.00." A copy of a counterfeit item and an authentic money order check (VOID) are attached for your review.

Country Bank for Savings is also reporting that counterfeit treasurer's checks are in circulation. These checks appear to be based on the bank's money orders, rather than its treasurer's checks. A copy of a counterfeit item and an authentic check (VOID) are attached for your review.

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

April E. Gay
Assistant Vice President and Security Officer
Country Bank for Savings
75 Main Street
Ware, Massachusetts 01082
Telephone: (800) 322-8233 Ext. 2102 (Toll-free)
Fax: (413) 967-3289
agay@countrybank.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