Counterfeit official checks bearing the name Peninsula Bank, Ishpeming, Michigan, are reportedly in circulation

The Peninsula Bank of Ishpeming, Ishpeming, Michigan, 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 091101316, which is assigned to The Peninsula Bank of Ishpeming. The items are red or blue and have ornate top and side borders with "OFFICIAL CHECK" circled in the top center. A "Memo" line appears under "REMITTER" in the top left. A "NOT VALID OVER" restrictive statement appears above the "AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE" line in the lower-right corner.

The Peninsula Bank does not issue official checks; however, it does issue cashier's checks.

Authentic checks have a green background with security feature statements embedded in darkened top and bottom borders. The words "CASHIER'S CHECK" are displayed in the lower-left corner.

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:

Joe Havican
Security Loan Officer and Commercial Loan Officer
100 South Main Street
Ishpeming, Michigan 49849
Telephone: (906) 485-6333 or (906) 226-4354
Fax: (906) 485-1565 or (906) 228-3939
E-mail: jhavican@penbank.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