Counterfeit cashier's checks of Bay Cities National Bank, Redondo Beach, California, are reportedly in circulation

Bay Cities National Bank, Redondo Beach, California, contacted the Office of the Comptroller of Currency (OCC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 122239270, which is assigned to Bay Cities National Bank. The counterfeit items also display the wording "The Community Bank of the South Bay" directly below the bank's name, along with the telephone number 1-800-664-0155. The telephone number is not associated with the bank. Authentic checks display the wording "Your Premier Community Bank" and contain the following statement: "AN INDEMNITY BOND SHALL BE REQUIRED BEFORE ANY OFFICIAL CHECK OF THIS BANK WILL BE REPLACED OR REFUNDED IF LOST, MISPLACED OR STOLEN."

To verify the authenticity of a Bay Cities National Bank cashier's check, or to provide any information you have concerning this matter, please contact:

Rowena Libra
Operations Administrator
Bay Cities National Bank
1333 S. Pacific Coast Highway
Redondo Beach, California 90277
Telephone: (310) 540-2265 extension 212
Fax: (310) 316-1005
rlibra@bcnb.net

Additional information about this matter that you believe should be brought to the attention of the OCC may be forwarded to:

Mail: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Enforcement & Compliance Division, MS 8-10
250 E. Street, SW
Washington, DC 20219Fax: (202) 874-5301E-mail: occalertresponses@occ.treas.govInternet: http://www.occ.treas.gov

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