Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Mid-Wisconsin Bank, Medford, Wisconsin, are reportedly in circulation

Mid-Wisconsin Bank, Medford, Wisconsin, 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 092005411, which is a pass-through account held at First Interstate Bank, Helena, MT, that is no longer used by Mid-Wisconsin Bank. The counterfeit items are not similar to authentic checks in appearance. The counterfeit items bear the bank's logo, name and address in the upper-left corner and display the words "CASHIER'S CHECK" in both the top-center area and in the lower-left corner. "PAYABLE THROUGH FIRST INTERSTATE BANK, HELENA, MT" is also printed in the lower-left corner. The bank's logo appears in the center of the counterfeit items. The following appears in the top border: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK."

Authentic cashier's checks display the bank's logo, name and address in the top-center area, and "CASHIER'S CHECK" appears once in the lower-left corner. Below the amount line appears the following: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A MICRO-PRINT SIGNATURE LINE, WATERMARK AND A THERMOCHROMIC ICON: ABSENCE OF THESE FEATURES WILL INDICATE A COPY." A padlock security symbol appears to the right of the word "Dollars." Authentic items are light blue with blue borders.

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

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

Sandy Lukas
First VP Operations
Mid-Wisconsin Bank
132 W State St. PO Box 90
Medford, WI 54451
Telephone: (715) 748-8349
FAX: (715) 748-6553
E-mail: Slukas@midwisc.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