Counterfeit official checks drawn on Allstate Bank, Vernon Hills, Illinois; Community Bank of Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois; and Jackson Federal Bank, Fullerton, California, are in circulation

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has learned that counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Allstate Bank, Vernon Hills, Illinois, are currently in circulation. All of the known counterfeit items include the bank's routing number of 071974424. The reported counterfeit items, while similar in design to genuine instruments, use different fonts and do not include the bank's telephone number under the name or display the wording "ORIGINAL DOCUMENT" continuously along the item's top border. Attached for your review are an example of a counterfeit item and a copy of a genuine cashier's check (void).

Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Ms. Lidia Oleksy
Operations Manager
Allstate Bank
544 Lakeview Parkway
Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061
Telephone: (847) 968-7038
FAX: (847) 968-6717

Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Community Bank of Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois, are also in circulation. The items bear the bank's routing number of 071002095 and appear to be copies of an authentic bank instrument. Attached for your review is a copy of an authentic cashier's check (void).

Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Ms. Henrietta Dorsey
Operations Officer
Community Bank of Lawndale
1111 South Homan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60624
Telephone: (773) 533-6900
FAX: (773) 533-8215

In addition, counterfeit official checks drawn on Jackson Federal Bank, Fullerton, California, are in circulation. The items bear the bank's routing number of 122042205. The counterfeit instruments appear to be quality copies of a genuine check. Attached for your review is a copy of a genuine official check (void).

Any information you have about this matter should be brought to the attention of:

Ms. Tina A. Robinson
Bank Security Officer
Jackson Federal Bank
145 S. State College Blvd., Suite 600
Brea, California 92821
Telephone: (714) 990-7390
FAX: (714) 990-7479

Information about these financial institutions or instruments may be forwarded to the FDIC's Special Activities Section, 550 17th Street, NW, Room F-4040, Washington, DC 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2003/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts, Financial Institution Letters and other announcements through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/news/news/announcements/index.html.

Michael J. ZamorskiDirector