Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Bank Reale, Pasco, Washington, are reportedly in circulation

ank Reale, Pasco, Washington, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation. The counterfeit items are reportedly associated with a mystery shopper scam.

The counterfeit items display the routing number of 125108793, which is assigned to Bank Reale, but are markedly dissimilar to authentic bank checks. The counterfeit items display the bank name, logo, a telephone number, which is not associated with the bank, and the wording "IN ORGANIZATION" in the top-left corner. The counterfeit items also display security wording embedded within the top and bottom borders. In the center of the item is a rectangle with six arrows pointing toward the bank name and dollar amount. The wording "MATCH THE AMOUNT IN WORDS WITH THE AMOUNT IN NUMBERS" is embedded in the center of the item.

Authentic checks display the bank name, logo, address and a telephone number in the upper left- hand corner. "CASHIER'S CHECK" is encapsulated and centered within the top border with the following statement centered beneath: "AS A CONDITION TO THIS INSTITUTION'S ISSUANCE OF THIS CHECK, PURCHASER AGREES TO PROVIDE AN INDEMNITY BOND PRIOR TO THE REFUND OR REPLACEMENT OF THIS CHECK IN THE EVENT IT IS LOST, MISPLACED OR STOLEN."

Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic check (VOID) are attached for your review. Be aware that the appearance of counterfeit items can be modified and that additional variations may be presented.

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

Deposit Operations
Bank Reale
5205 Road 68
Pasco, Washington 99301-9275
Telephone: (509) 545-6360
Fax: (509) 545-9960
E-mail: info@bankreale.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 website 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. Thompson
Director
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection