Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Key Bank and Trust, Owings Mills, Maryland, are reportedly in circulation

K Bank, Randallstown, Maryland, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing a similar name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 255072427, which is assigned to K Bank, but are dissimilar to authentic checks in appearance. The counterfeit items display the following wording on four lines on the top left side: "OFFICIAL DOCUMENT, OFFICIAL CASHIER CHECK, FOR CASH ONLY, CROWNSVILLE, MD 21032." "Key Bank & Trust, Owings Mills, MD 21117-3533" is printed on two lines in the top center.

Authentic cashier's checks have a blue background and display the "K BANK" logo and "Owings Mills, MD" on two lines in the upper- left corner. "FDIC INSURED" appears in the top center, and "CASHIERS CHECK" is printed in the middle of authentic cashier's checks. Security feature statements appear in the top and bottom 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:

Mary C. Baus
Vice President and Compliance Officer
Telephone: (410) 654-2708
E-mail: mbaus@kbank.net

or

Judy Frank
Vice President of Branch Administration
K Bank
11407 Cronhill Drive
Suite N
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Fax: (443) 394-6340
Telephone: (410) 363-7050
E-mail: jfrank@kbank.net

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