Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Valley National Bank, Wayne, New Jersey

Valley National Bank, Wayne, New Jersey, 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 021201383, which is assigned to Valley National Bank, Wayne, New Jersey. However, Valley National Bank, Wayne, New Jersey, does not issue cashier's checks. The bank issues official checks through Integrated Payment Systems, Inc., Englewood, Colorado, payable through Citibank, N.A., Buffalo, New York. Authentic official checks display the routing number 022000868, which is assigned to Integrated Payment Systems, Inc.

The counterfeit items are markedly dissimilar to authentic checks, with a different design, layout and font, and the counterfeit checks do not display the bank's logo. In addition, the counterfeit items display a fraudulent telephone number, which is answered as if it were the bank, and display a Passaic, New Jersey, address. Authentic checks do not display a telephone number, and reflect a Wayne, New Jersey, address. A copy of a counterfeit item and an authentic check (VOID) are attached for your review.

To verify the authenticity of a check, please use the following information:

Bank Customer Service Telephone: (800) 522-4100
or
Integrated Payment Systems, Inc. Telephone: (800) 223-7520
or
email: ppellegrino@valleynationalbank.com

You may contact the bank at the following address:

Valley National Bank
1455 Valley Road
Wayne, New Jersey 07470

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