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

Advanta Bank, Wilmington, Delaware, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation. The items are reportedly associated with a secret shopper scam.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 031100212, which is assigned to Advanta Bank. The counterfeit items are markedly dissimilar to authentic checks. They display the bank's address ("One Right Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19803") and a telephone number ("1 (888) 811-1027"), which is not associated with the bank, below the bank's name in the top-left corner. The words "CASHIER'S CHECK" are centered below the top border. Two signature lines with the words "BY AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE" below each appear in the lower-right corner. The word "REMITTER" is shown in the lower-left corner.

Authentic checks are blue and, when copied, display the words "UNAUTHORIZED COPY" as background. The bank's name and "MEMBER FDIC" appear in the top-left corner. The bank's name also appears in the top-right area along with "Wilmington, DE 19850." A box containing the numeric dollar amount and a single signature line appear on the right side. A "MEMO" line appears in the lower-left corner.

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:

Terri Gavin
Senior Vice President of Operations
Advanta Bank
One Righter Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19803
Telephone: (302) 529-6537
Fax: (302) 529-6591
E-mail: tgavin@advanta.com

Alternate Contact:

Evelyn Koellhoffer
Manager of Retail Operations
Advanta Bank
One Righter Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19803
Telephone: (302) 529-6556
Fax: (302) 529-6591
E-mail: ekoellhoffer@advanta.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/2008/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)