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

Country Bank for Savings, Ware, Massachusetts, 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 211870980, which is assigned to Country Bank for Savings, but are dissimilar to authentic checks. The counterfeit items display the bank name (all on one line) and address in the upper-left corner. The bank name and city are repeated in the top-center portion of the items above the words "Cashier's Check." The counterfeit items display the following statement embedded in the top border: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A GRADUATED BACKGROUND: DARK TO LIGHT. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICAL WATERMARK."

Authentic checks display only the bank's name on three lines in the upper-left corner. "TREASURERS CHECK" is displayed in the top-center portion of the check. The bank's name, city and state are displayed beneath the written dollar amount line.

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:

April E. Gay
Assistant Vice President/Security Officer
Country Bank for Savings
75 Main Street
Ware, Massachusetts 01082
Telephone: 800-322-8233, Ext. 2102
Fax: (413) 967-0927
E-mail: agay@countrybank.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)