Counterfeit official checks bearing the name Bank of Westminster, Westminster, South Carolina, are reportedly in circulation

Bank of Westminster, Westminster, South Carolina, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation in association with mystery shopping and rewards program scams.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 053207122, which is assigned to Bank of Westminster. The counterfeit items are referred to as "official checks"; however, the bank issues "cashier's checks." The counterfeit items display both a street address and a post office box below the bank's name in the top-left corner.

Authentic cashier's checks contain a "notice to customer" in the upper-left corner and have a foil strip hologram across the top.

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:

Teresa A. Hix
Information Technology and Operations Manager
Bank of Westminster
306 E. Windsor Street
Westminster, South Carolina 29693
Telephone: (864) 647-5487
Fax: (864) 647-9500
E-mail: thix@bankofwestminster.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. Thompson
Director
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection