Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Bank of Wedowee, Wedowee, Alabama, are reportedly in circulation

Bank of Wedowee, Wedowee, Alabama, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

Counterfeit items display the routing number 062203641, which is assigned to Bank of Wedowee and are markedly dissimilar to authentic cashier's checks. Counterfeit items include "CASHIER'S CHECK" inside a box centered at the top and with rounded corners. In the top-left corner, the bank's name is printed inside a dark-shaded box that is directly above the bank's name, address and a phone number that is not associated with the bank. Counterfeit items include a rectangle containing six arrows pointing toward "BANK OF WEDOWEE" and a box below the word "AMOUNT." Also, the following statement forms the top border of that rectangle: "MATCH THE AMOUNT IN WORDS WITH THE AMOUNT IN NUMBER." Directly to the right is an "AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE" line and printed below that line is "REMITTER: SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP, INC." The following security statement is embedded within the top border: "THE FACE OF THE DOCUMENT IS PRINTED RED - THE BACK CONTAINS A SIMULATED WATERMARK."

Authentic cashier's checks display the bank's logo (an image of a building), name and address in the lower-left corner. Authentic cashier's checks include the following security statement beneath the amount line: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A MICROPRINT SIGNATURE LINE, AUTHENTIC WATERMARK AND CHLOROSTAIN PAPER. ABSENCE OF THESE FEATURES WILL INDICATE A COPY." Additionally, authentic checks have ornate borders and include a "REMITTER" line in the upper-left corner.

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:

Brian L. Smith
Internal Auditor
E-mail: brians@bankofwedowee.com

or

Carol Taylor
Operations Officer
E-mail: carolt@bankofwedowee.com

or

Ann McCord
BSA Officer
E-mail: annm@bankofwedowee.com

Bank of Wedowee
P.O. Box 207
Wedowee, Alabama 36278
Telephone: (256) 357-2132
Fax: (256) 357-2135

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/2007/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