Counterfeit official checks bearing the name Darby Bank, Vidalia, Georgia, are reportedly in circulation

Darby Bank & Trust Co., Vidalia, Georgia, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit official checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 061211168, which is assigned to Darby Bank & Trust Co. The items are similar to authentic official checks; however, the counterfeit items display the word "MEMO" above a line in the lower-left corner and a padlock icon in the lower-right corner. The following security description is embedded within the top border: "THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT IS PRINTED GREEN – THE BACK CONTAINS A SIMULATED WATERMARK."

Authentic official checks display the word "Memo" below a line in the lower-left corner. The following security statement is embedded within the top border: "WARNING: ORIGINAL DOCUMENT CONTAINS A MULTI-COLORED BACKGROUND ON WHITE PAPER. VOID WITHOUT BACKGROUND."

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:

Anna Marie Harrell
Vice President
Darby Bank & Trust Co.
Post Office Box 870
Vidalia, Georgia 30475
Telephone: (912) 537-8813
E-mail: aharrell@darbybank.com

Alternate Contact:

Tina Jones
Assistant Vice President and Controller
Darby Bank & Trust Co.
Post Office Box 870
Vidalia, Georgia 30475
Telephone: (912) 277-2323
Fax: (912) 537-4825
E-mail: tjones@darbybank.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/2009/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