Home Federal Savings Bank, Detroit, Michigan, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number of 272071223, which is assigned to Home Federal Savings Bank; however, the fraudulent items are markedly dissimilar to authentic bank checks. The counterfeit items display an encapsulated foil holograph embedded with the wording "ORIGINAL FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT" in the top-center portion of the items. In addition, the following statement is embedded in the top border in small print: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND IN MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICAL WATERMARK."

Authentic checks display a scroll-pattern border and display the following statement beneath the amount line: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A MULTI-COLOR BACKGROUND, A MICRO-PRINT SIGNATURE LINE, AND A HOLOGRAPHIC FOIL TITLE; ABSENCE OF THESE FEATURES WILL INDICATE A COPY."

Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic cashier's 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:

Alvin Burks
Office Manager
Home Federal Savings Bank
9108 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48202
Telephone: (313) 873-3310
Fax: (313) 873-6395
E-mail: kmgriff@alamericabank.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/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 electronic images of fraudulent items or authentic checks that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Financial institutions can view images of the fraudulent items and authentic checks (marked as VOID) using the FDIC's free, secure Web site, FDICconnect. (See more information about FDICconnect at http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2006/fil06032.html.) Printed copies of each Special Alert and its attachment(s) may also be obtained from the FDIC's Public Information Center (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)