American Marine Bank, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 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 125104865, which is assigned to American Marine Bank, and are similar to authentic checks in layout. However, the border on the counterfeit items has rounded corners, while the border on authentic checks has square corners. The counterfeit items display the following security wording in the top border: "This document is printed on white paper with a coloured background. The border contains micro printing." Also, the counterfeit items display security wording in the bottom border concerning artificial watermarks. Authentic checks do not display wording in either border. Authentic checks display a 1-800 telephone number beneath the bank's name in the upper-left corner of the check. Also, authentic checks are printed on a three-part gray herringbone pattern with blue printing. A copy of a counterfeit item and an authentic cashier's check (VOID) are attached for your review.

Jan Hannon
Senior Vice President
American Marine Bank
249 Winslow Way
Bainbridge Island, Washington 98110
Telephone: (206) 855-8620
Fax: (206) 855-8560
janh@americanmarinebank.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/2006/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 (703) 562-2200; fax: (703) 562-2296; or e-mail: publicinfo@fdic.gov).

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)