Counterfeit official checks drawn on Lorain National Bank, Lorain, Ohio; Alpine Bank, Rifle, Colorado; and The Columbia Bank, Ellicott City, Maryland, are in circulation

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has learned that counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Lorain National Bank, Lorain, Ohio, are currently in circulation. All of the known counterfeit items include the bank's routing number of 041201114. The counterfeit instruments are almost exact copies of an authentic item; however, they do not contain a reflective watermark on the reverse side. Attached for your review are an example of a counterfeit item and a copy of an authentic official check (void).

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

Mr. Jim Long
Security Director
Lorain National Bank
457 Broadway
Lorain, Ohio 44052
Telephone: (440) 244-7255
FAX: (440) 244-4815

Counterfeit official checks drawn on Alpine Bank, Rifle, Colorado, are also in circulation. The items bear the bank's routing number of 102103407. The reported counterfeit items do not resemble the authentic bank instruments. The counterfeit checks also include the address of a non-existent branch office in Boise, Idaho. An example of a counterfeit item and a copy of a genuine official check (void) are attached for your review.

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

Ms. Pat Richardson
Security Officer
Alpine Bank
400 7th Street South
Rifle, Colorado 81650
Telephone: (970) 625-7006
FAX: (970) 618-3297

In addition, counterfeit official checks drawn on The Columbia Bank, Ellicott City, Maryland, and issued through Payment Systems, Inc., Englewood, California, are also in circulation. The items bear the bank's routing number of 022000868. The reported counterfeit items do not resemble the authentic bank instruments. Attached for your review are an example of a counterfeit instrument and a copy of an authentic cashier's check (void).

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

Ms. Susan Booth
Security Officer - Fraud Prevention
The Columbia Bank
9151 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, Maryland 21042
Telephone: (410) 418-8654
FAX: (410) 465-0052

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