Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Esquire Bank, Garden City, New York, are reportedly in circulation

Esquire Bank, Brooklyn, New York, 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 026073066, which is assigned to Esquire Bank. The items, which are dissimilar to authentic cashier's checks, display a security feature statement embedded in a darkened top border and along the bottom border between two padlocks. The items have a "VOID" background when copied and the symbol ™ appears after the word "ESQUIRE."

Authentic checks have ornate borders and a padlock icon and vertical feature statement on the right side. The bank's telephone number appears below the bank name in the top center. Authentic checks are computer generated.

Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic check (VOID) are attached for your review. Please 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:

Administrative Offices
Esquire Bank
320 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11530
Telephone: (800) 996-0213
Fax: (516) 595-5825
E-mail: operations@esqbank.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