Each depositor insured to at least $250,000 per insured bank

Mercantile Bank, Orlando, Florida, 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 063113772, which is assigned to Mercantile Bank. The items, which are dissimilar to authentic checks, include the statement "Issued by Integrated Payment Systems, Inc." Below that statement, in the lower-left corner, is a telephone number, which is not associated with the bank or Integrated Payment Systems. Security feature descriptions are embedded within the top border and in the bottom-right corner. Above the "AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE" lines is the statement "TWO SIGNATURES REQUIRED OVER $10,000.00." The items also have scroll-design borders on the left and right sides.

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:

Deborah Drake
Vice President and Senior Investigator
Corporate Investigations
Mercantile Bank
1311 North Westshore Boulevard, Suite 101
Tampa, Florida 33607
Telephone: (813) 207-5210
Fax: (813) 207-5239
E-mail: debbi.drake@bankmercantile.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/2007/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)