Counterfeit cashier’s checks bearing the name Keystone Nazareth Bank & Trust, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, are reportedly in circulation

Keystone Nazareth Bank & Trust Company, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 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 096016765, which is a payable-through account at U.S. Bank, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Keystone Nazareth Bank & Trust Company issues cashier's checks through U.S. Bank. The counterfeit items are dissimilar to authentic cashier's checks and display the following security statement embedded within a darkened top border: “THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND ON WHITE PAPER AND ORIGINAL DOCUMENT SECURITY SCREEN ON BACK WITH PADLOCK LOCK SECURITY ICON.” A security padlock icon and the statements “SECURITY FEATURES INCLUDED. DETAILS ON BACK” are printed vertically along the right border. The counterfeit items have one signature line.

Authentic checks display the following security feature statements below the top border: “THIS DOCUMENT HAS AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK PRINTED ON THE BANK. THE FRONT OF THE DOCUMENT HAS A MICRO-PRINT SIGNATURE LINE. ABSENCE OF THESE FEATURES WILL INDICATE A COPY.” The words “VOID AFTER 180 DAYS” are centered below the words “CASHIERS CHECK” in the top center. The bank's street address (“90 HIGHLAND AVENUE”) is printed below the bank's “KNBT” logo in the top-left corner. The word “REMITTER” is printed above “PAYABLE THROUGH US BANK, ST. PAUL, MN” in the lower-left corner. Authentic checks have two signature lines.

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:

Henry Farabaugh
Assistant Vice President and Security Officer
Keystone Nazareth Bank & Trust Company
90 Highland Avenue
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18017
Telephone: (610) 807-5884
Fax: (610) 861-7892
E-mail: henry.farabaugh@knbt.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. 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