Special Alert: SLS00275

Dear Associates:

This Bulletin is to advise you, in accordance with Stewart Information Services Corporation's (“SISCO”) Anti-Fraud Plan, that the FDIC has issued the above-referenced Special Alert Notices. In order to view these and other Special Alert Notices issued by the FDIC, please refer to th...

SA-188-2005

1/09/06

Anchor Bank, West St. Paul National Association, West St. Paul , Minnesota , has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 096015232, which is assigned to Anchor Bank, West St. Paul National Association, but they are dissimilar to authentic cashier's checks in style, font and format. The counterfeit items do not display a logo, while authentic checks display the bank's logo of an anchor in the top-center portion of the check. In addition, the counterfeit items display the Main Office address followed by a telephone number in the top-center portion of the check. Authentic checks display a list of bank offices and their respective telephone numbers below the bank name and logo. A copy of a counterfeit item and an authentic cashier's check (VOID) are attached for your review.

Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Cindy Erickson
Security Officer
Anchor Bank, West St. Paul National Association
66 East Thomason Avenue
West St. Paul, Minnesota 55118
Telephone: (651) 554-3464
Fax: (651) 554-3491
Cindy_erickson@anchorlink.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. Information 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 Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2005/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Attachment (not available electronically)

NOTE: As a security precaution, the FDIC does not post to its Web site online copies of fraudulent instruments or copies of the genuine instruments that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use the electronic versions of these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Printed copies of fraudulent instruments are mailed with the Special Alert letter to the financial institutions on the letter's distribution list (generally, FDIC-supervised banks – commercial and savings). Printed copies of the Special Alert and its attachment(s) may also be obtained from the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW, Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (telephone: 1-877-275-3342 or 202-416-6940; fax: 202-416-2076; or e-mail: publicinfo@fdic.gov).

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

SA-189-2005

1/09/06

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) of Canada has published the attached "Warning Notice" (Issue No. 65), which contains the names of two entities recently brought to OSFI's attention.

The warning notice states that the two entities – Wachovia Direct Lending, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Equitable Finance & Securities, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (http://www.equitablesecurities.org) – are not authorized federally regulated financial institutions (Canadian) and may be involved in various advance fee or "Nigerian letter" scams (see also OSFI's Warning Notice No. 23, dated February 2002). These entities, or persons purported to represent them, are reportedly operating in Canada and may be violating provisions of the Bank Act (Canada) or other Canadian financial institution regulations. These entities may also be conducting unauthorized banking transactions in the United States. Any proposed transactions involving these entities should be viewed with extreme caution.

Each "Warning Notice," beginning with Issue No. 1 through OSFI's latest "Warning Notice," may be found at: http://www.osfi-bsif.gc.ca/osfi/index_e.aspx?ArticleID=166.

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. Information 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 Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2005/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Attachment: Can be found at http://www.osfi-bsif.gc.ca/app/DocRepository/1/eng/consumer/notices/Warning_Notice_65_e.pdf 110k (PDF Help)

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

NOTE: Paper copies of FDIC Special Alerts may be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW , Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (1-877-275-3342 or 202-416-6940).

1/09/06

Bankers' Bank, Madison, Wisconsin, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that fraudulent checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

A number of fraudulent items have been presented using the name Bankers' Bank or the routing number 075912479, which is assigned to Bankers' Bank. However, Bankers' Banks are owned by and provide services to commercial banks. Bankers' Bank, Madison, Wisconsin, does not issue checking accounts to the public. Electronic transactions should only occur between Bankers' Bank and authorized commercial banks.

Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Edie Tholo
Senior Vice President
Bankers' Bank
7700 Mineral Point Road
Madison, Wisconsin 53717
Telephone: (608) 833-5500
Fax: (608) 829-5590
etholo@bankersbankusa.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. Information 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/2005/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

NOTE: Paper copies of FDIC Special Alerts may be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center , 801 17th Street, NW , Room 100, Washington , DC 20434 (1-877-275-3342 or 202-416-6940).

1/09/06

Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association, Lake Success, New York, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 102000979, which is assigned to the account of Integrated Payment Systems Inc., Englewood, Colorado, held at JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., Denver, Colorado. Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association issues official checks through Integrated Payment Systems Inc., Englewood, Colorado. The counterfeit items also display a shadow-box border, while authentic checks display a scroll border. Authentic items display "Official Check" in an elongated box within the border and a lock in the lower-right side of the check. The counterfeit items display "Official Check" in an oval in the top-center portion of the check and do not display a lock. A copy of a counterfeit item and an authentic official check (VOID) are attached for your review.

Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Charles Judson
Director of Security
Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association
One Astoria Federal Plaza
Lake Success, New York 11042-1085
Telephone: (516) 327-7830
Fax: (516) 327-7481
cjudson@astoriafederal.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. Information 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 Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2005/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Attachment (not available electronically)

NOTE: As a security precaution, the FDIC does not post to its Web site online copies of fraudulent instruments or copies of the genuine instruments that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use the electronic versions of these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Printed copies of fraudulent instruments are mailed with the Special Alert letter to the financial institutions on the letter's distribution list (generally, FDIC-supervised banks – commercial and savings). Printed copies of the Special Alert and its attachment(s) may also be obtained from the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW, Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (telephone: 1-877-275-3342 or 202-416-6940; fax: 202-416-2076; or e-mail: publicinfo@fdic.gov).

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

SA-192-2005

1/09/06

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received inquiries from foreign financial institutions, foreign offices of domestic financial institutions, and citizens of other countries who have received a faxed message claiming to be sent by the FDIC. The fraudulent message sent with Form F 91-11.01 indicates that the "FDIC money laundering and anti-terrorism joint Task Force Security" is requesting financial account and investment information regarding accounts maintained in financial institutions and investment banks in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union member countries. The faxed message states that failure to comply may result in civil and criminal penalties, including the freezing of accounts, cancellation of visas, forfeiture of assets, or fines. The message alleges to be from Robert Smith of the FDIC. The fraudulent form, F 91-11.01, "Report of Foreign Bank and Securities Accounts," is not an official FDIC form.

The FDIC does not solicit customer information from foreign financial institutions and citizens. The form is an attempt to obtain access to foreign financial institution accounts. Therefore, financial institutions and citizens of other countries should NOT, under any circumstance, provide account information to these unknown sources.

Distribution: All insured institutions and U.S. Embassies

NOTE: Paper copies of FDIC Special Alerts may be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW , Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (1-877-275-3342 or 202-416-6940).

1/09/06

Community State Bank, N.A., Ankeny, Iowa, contacted the Office of the Comptroller of Currency (OCC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 073910114, which is assigned to Community State Bank. The counterfeit items also display the previous bank logo of an umbrella over the bank's name, with the letters CSB listed vertically inside a shaded box. The counterfeit checks display this logo in the top-center portion of the check. Beneath the logo, the phrase "A financial services company" appears.

Authentic cashier's checks display the bank's name in the top-center portion of the check, directly below the bank's underlined logo of "csb." This current logo does not include an umbrella. A red thermo-sensitive padlock is contained on the back of authentic checks. By placing your finger over the padlock, body heat will alter the padlock's appearance.

To verify the authenticity of Community State Bank, N.A., cashier's checks, or to provide any information you have concerning this matter, please contact:

Scott Starr
Security Officer Community State Bank, N.A.
817 N. Ankeny Boulevard
P.O. Box 127
Ankeny, Iowa 50021
Telephone: (515) 252-1131
Fax: (515) 276-4509
sstarr@bankcsb.com

Additional information about this matter that you believe should be brought to the attention of the OCC may be forwarded to:

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. Information 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 Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2005/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

NOTE: Paper copies of FDIC Special Alerts may be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW , Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (1-877-275-3342 or 202-416-6940).

1/09/06

The Tri Counties Bank, Chico, California, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 122037171, which is assigned to the Integrated Payment Systems, Inc., Englewood, Colorado, account at Wells Fargo Bank, Ltd., Los Angeles, California . Tri Counties Bank issues checks through Integrated Payment Systems, Inc. The counterfeit items are fairly similar to authentic official checks. However, the counterfeit items display the wording "Official Check" in the top-center portion of the check without a surrounding box; authentic checks display the wording "Official Check" inside of a box connected to the border. The counterfeit items do not display a telephone number or a lock; authentic checks display a telephone number and a lock. The counterfeit items contain the wording "Void if over $10,000.00," which authentic checks do not. A copy of a counterfeit item and an authentic official check (VOID) are attached for your review.

Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Nancy Ward
Operations Administration
Tri Counties Bank
63 Constitution Dr.
Chico, California 95973
Telephone: (530) 898-0300, Extension 8735
Fax: (530) 879-3014
nancyward@tcbk.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. Information 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 Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2005/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Attachment (not available electronically)

NOTE: As a security precaution, the FDIC does not post to its Web site online copies of fraudulent instruments or copies of the genuine instruments that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use the electronic versions of these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Printed copies of fraudulent instruments are mailed with the Special Alert letter to the financial institutions on the letter's distribution list (generally, FDIC-supervised banks – commercial and savings). Printed copies of the Special Alert and its attachment(s) may also be obtained from the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW, Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (telephone: 1-877-275-3342 or 202-416-6940; fax: 202-416-2076; or e-mail: publicinfo@fdic.gov).

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

SA-195-2005

1/09/06

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has advised the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) that persons representing themselves as employees of Brink (or Brink's) National Bank of Texas are contacting other persons via telephone or e-mail. The OCC states that the representatives have referred to several different schemes, which appear to be advance-fee frauds. Worthless, counterfeit official bank checks may also be provided in this scheme. The contact information provided for Brink (or Brink's) National Bank of Texas includes an unlisted cell phone number originating with a Texas cell phone service, and an e-mail contact through a "@yahoo.com" address. The Web site used by this entity has been suspended.

Brink (or Brink's) National Bank of Texas is not chartered by the OCC, and is not authorized to conduct the business of banking. All nationally chartered banks must be FDIC-insured. However, the FDIC does not insure the deposits of Brink (Brink's) National Bank of Texas. To search for FDIC-insured banks, use the following link: http://www2.fdic.gov/idasp/main.asp.

Additional information about this matter that you believe should be brought to the OCC's attention may be forwarded to:

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. Information 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 Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2005/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

NOTE: Paper copies of FDIC Special Alerts may be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW , Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (1-877-275-3342 or 202-416-6940).