Counterfeit official checks drawn on the Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association, Lake Success, New York, are reportedly in circulation

Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association, Lake Success, New York, 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 102000979, which is assigned to the account of Integrated Payment Systems Inc., Englewood, Colorado, held at JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., Denver, Colorado. Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association issues official checks through Integrated Payment Systems Inc., Englewood, Colorado. The counterfeit items also display a shadow-box border, while authentic checks display a scroll border. Authentic items display "Official Check" in an elongated box within the border and a lock in the lower-right side of the check. The counterfeit items display "Official Check" in an oval in the top-center portion of the check and do not display a lock. A copy of a counterfeit item and an authentic official check (VOID) are attached for your review.

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

Charles Judson
Director of Security
Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association
One Astoria Federal Plaza
Lake Success, New York 11042-1085
Telephone: (516) 327-7830
Fax: (516) 327-7481
cjudson@astoriafederal.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