Counterfeit official checks bearing the name The Palmetto Bank, Laurens, South Carolina, are reportedly in circulation

The Palmetto Bank, Laurens, South Carolina, 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 011007092, which is assigned to a MoneyGram Payment Systems, Inc. account, payable through the Bank of New York Mellon, Everett, Massachusetts. The Palmetto Bank issues its official checks through MoneyGram Payment System, Inc. The items are dissimilar to authentic official checks and when copied have a "VOID" background. A security feature statement is embedded in a darkened green top border and along the bottom border between two padlocks. The statement "This Check Void After 90 Days" is below the signature line.

The Palmetto Bank issues two types of authentic official checks: (1) a laser check and (2) a three-part left snap check. Both types have a green basket-weave background with an ornate green border. Authentic official laser checks are computer-generated in black print. Authentic three-part left snap official checks are printed in green ink and include a security feature statement centered below the top border.

Copies of a counterfeit item and authentic checks (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:

Derrick M. Copeland
Chief Security Officer
The Palmetto Bank
306 East North Street
Greenville, South Carolina 29601
Telephone: (864) 250-6052
Fax: (864) 250-6068
E-mail: dcopeland@palmettobank.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-3054, 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.

SandraL. ThompsonDirector
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection