Counterfeit official cashier's checks bearing the name Danversbank, Danvers, Massachusetts, are reportedly in circulation

Danversbank, Danvers, Massachusetts, 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 display the routing number 211371162, which is assigned to Danversbank, but are markedly dissimilar to authentic personal money orders. The counterfeit items include the statement "NOT VALID OVER $5,000" and the words "OFFICIAL CASHIER'S CHECK" in the lower-left corner. The following security statement is embedded within the top border: "THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND ON WHITE PAPER." The statement "THE BACK OF THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK-HOLD AN ANGLE TO VIEW" is embedded within the bottom border, and a padlock key icon appears within the right border.

Danversbank does not issue official cashier's checks. Authentic personal money orders display the statement "NOT VALID OVER $1,000" and the words "PERSONAL MONEY ORDER" in the lower- left corner. The personal money orders have ornate borders. Printed below the top border is the following security description: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A MICRO PRINT SIGNATURE LINE, AUTHENTIC WATERMARK, AND CHLOROSTAIN PAPER; ABSENCE OF THESE FEATURES WILL INDICATE A COPY." Displayed on three lines in the lower-right corner are the words "PURCHASER'S SIGNATURE," "PURCHASER'S ADDRESS," AND "CITY, STATE, AND ZIP."

Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic personal money order (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:

Christine M. Gould
Assistant Vice President, Fraud and Loss Prevention
Danversbank
1 Conant Street
Danvers, Massachusetts 01923
Telephone: (978) 624-1137
Fax: (978) 646-9637
E-mail: chris.gould@danversbank.com

Information about Counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other Counterfeit 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. Questions 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
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection