Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name STAR Financial Bank, Fort Wayne, Indiana, are reportedly in circulation

STAR Financial Bank, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 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 have been reportedly associated with a Secret Shopper scam.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 074901672, which is assigned to STAR Financial Bank. The items are similar to authentic cashier's checks; however, counterfeit items display a security feature statement embedded in a darkened top border and along the bottom border between two padlocks. The wording "CASHIER'S CHECK" is shown with an apostrophe.

Authentic checks are borderless and are green on the top and bottom before fading to white in the middle. The wording "CASHIERS CHECK" is shown without an apostrophe.

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:

Jeremy J. Vance
Vice President and Corporate Security Director
STAR Financial Bank
6230 Bluffton Road
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46858-1409
Telephone: (260) 479-2528
Fax: (260) 479-2529
E-mail: Jeremy.Vance@starfinancial.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/2008/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. ThompsonDirector
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection