Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name L&N Federal Credit Union, Louisville, Kentucky, are reportedly in circulation

&N Federal Credit Union, Louisville, Kentucky, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation. The items are reportedly associated with a secret shopping scam.

L&N Federal Credit Union does not issue cashier's checks. It does, however, issue official checks. The counterfeit items display the routing number 011007092, which is assigned to Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Company, Boston, Massachusetts. L&N Federal Credit Union's official checks are issued by Moneygram Payment Systems, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, through an account at Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Company. The counterfeit items are dissimilar to authentic cashier's checks.

The counterfeit items display the following security feature statement embedded in a darkened top border: "FOR SECURITY PURPOSES THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING IN THE BORDER." A security statement is also shown along the bottom border between two padlocks. The words "CASHIER'S CHECK" appear inside of a rectangle in the top-right area. The items have a "VOID" background when copied.

Authentic cashier's checks are dark blue and have a block-patterned background. The top and side borders are scroll with solid squares in the top corners and solid circles in the bottom corners. A rectangle containing the words "OFFICIAL CHECK" is below the top border and centered between the following security feature statements: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK PRINTED ON THE BACK. THE FRONT OF THE DOCUMENT HAS A MICRO-PRINT SIGNATURE LINE. ABSENCE OF THESE FEATURES WILL INDICATE A COPY."

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:

Sharon Cummings
Vice President of Administration
L&N Federal Credit Union
9265 Smyrna Parkway
Louisville, Kentucky 40229
Telephone: (502) 515-8329
Fax: (502) 515-8390
E-mail: Sharon.Cummings@lnfcu.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