Counterfeit official checks bearing the name Wood and Huston Bank, Marshall, Missouri, are reportedly in circulation

Wood and Huston Bank, Marshall, Missouri, 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 101901833, which is assigned to Wood and Huston Bank. The items are pale grey and have a security feature statement embedded in the top and bottom borders between an ornate design. The bank's logo, location and a toll-free telephone number, not associated with the bank, are top-centered. The zip code displayed is incorrect and reads "65840" instead of "65340," the zip code displayed on authentic checks.

Authentic checks are bluestone in color and have a single-lined border. The security feature statement "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A MICRO-PRINT SIGNATURE LINE, AUTHENTIC WATERMARK, AND CHLOROSTAIN PAPER; ABSENCE OF THESE FEATURES WILL INDICATE A COPY" appears below the payee line.

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:

Jeff Crawford
Vice President
P.O. Box 40
Marshall, Missouri 65340
Telephone: (660) 886-6825, extension 1550
Fax: (660) 886-3950
E-mail: jcrawford@woodhuston.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