Counterfeit checks bearing the name Adams Co-operative Bank, Lanesboro, Massachusetts, are reportedly in circulation

Adams Co-operative Bank, Adams, Massachusetts, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation. The counterfeit items are associated with a lottery scam and are accompanied by a letter purportedly sent by "Coopers & Barnes Payment Systems for Sweepstakes and Internet Games Payment Verification Center" or "The North American Gaming Association Prize Pool."

The counterfeit items include the routing number 211873686, which is assigned to Adams Co-operative Bank, but are dissimilar to the bank's authentic treasurer's checks. The counterfeit items are basic in design and layout, displaying the bank's name and a location in the top-center portion of the item.

Authentic checks display a logo in the top-left corner with "ADAMS CO-OPERATIVE BANK" printed to the right of the logo. The words "Treasurer's Check" are centered in the top portion below the bank's name. Authentic checks display two signature lines in the lower-right corner and the statement "TWO SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR AMOUNTS GREATER THAN $10,000.00" in the middle portion of the check.

A copy of a counterfeit item and a copy of an authentic treasurer's check (VOID) are attached for your review.

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

Allyn F. Basel
Vice President of Operations
Adams Co-operative Bank
93 Park Street
Adams, Massachusetts 01220
Telephone: (413) 743-0001
Fax: (413) 743-7645
E-mail: allyn.basel@adamscooperative.com

To report this scam or any other scam based in or mailed from Canada, please contact Phonebusters, which is a joint partnership between the Ontario Provincial Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Phonebusters is interested in receiving copies of scam letters, particularly those involving Canadian mailing addresses or telephone numbers. Records relating to the payment of advance fees should also be forwarded to Phonebusters. This intelligence information is used to assist in the strategic targeting of would-be fraudsters. Scam letters should be forwarded to the Phonebusters National Call Center (PNCC) as follows:

Mail: Box 686
North Bay, Ontario, Canada
P1B 8J8Web site: www.phonebusters.comTelephone: +1 (888) 495-8501 (toll-free in Canada and the USA)Fax: +1 (888) 654-9426 (toll-free in Canada and the USA)E-mail: info@phonebusters.comAdvance fee fraud (including Nigerian and lottery letters): wafl@phonebusters.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