Counterfeit official checks drawn on the Tri Counties Bank, Chico, California, are reportedly in circulation

The Tri Counties Bank, Chico, California, 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 122037171, which is assigned to the Integrated Payment Systems, Inc., Englewood, Colorado, account at Wells Fargo Bank, Ltd., Los Angeles, California. Tri Counties Bank issues checks through Integrated Payment Systems, Inc. The counterfeit items are fairly similar to authentic official checks. However, the counterfeit items display the wording "Official Check" in the top-center portion of the check without a surrounding box; authentic checks display the wording "Official Check" inside of a box connected to the border. The counterfeit items do not display a telephone number or a lock; authentic checks display a telephone number and a lock. The counterfeit items contain the wording "Void if over $10,000.00," which authentic checks do not. 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:

Nancy Ward
Operations Administration
Tri Counties Bank
63 Constitution Dr.
Chico, California 95973
Telephone: (530) 898-0300, Extension 8735
Fax: (530) 879-3014
nancyward@tcbk.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