Counterfeit official checks drawn on Union Bank of California, NA, San Francisco, California, are reportedly in circulation

Union Bank of California, National Association (N.A.), San Francisco, 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 121000497, which is assigned to Union Bank of California, N.A.; however, the counterfeit items are dissimilar to authentic cashier's checks in appearance. The counterfeit items bear a slightly altered bank logo, name, city, and state in the top-left corner and the words "OFFICIAL CHECK" in the top center. The counterfeit items are printed on "marbled" white paper and contain the statement: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK." The counterfeit items do not display "void" security features if photocopied.

Authentic cashier's checks display the bank's logo next to the bank's name, city, state and toll-free telephone number in the upper-left corner. "CASHIER'S CHECK" appears in the top center of the check. Authentic checks are printed on blue paper with a white pattern and will display "void" security features when photocopied.

Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic cashier's check (VOID) are attached for your review.

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

Clayton Manning
Assistant Vice President - Risk Investigations
Union Bank of California, N.A.
3151 East Imperial Highway
Brea, CA 92821
Telephone: (714) 985-2561
Fax: (714) 985-2235
E-mail: Clayton.Manning@uboc.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/2006/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Sandra L. ThompsonActing Director
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection