Counterfeit cashier's checks drawn on Valrico State Bank, Valrico, Florida, and 1st Mariner Bank, Baltimore, Maryland, are in circulation

Valrico State Bank, Valrico, Florida, has reported to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) that counterfeit cashier's checks are in circulation. The counterfeit instruments are drawn upon the bank and display the bank's routing number of 063113468. The counterfeit checks are similar to the authentic official checks; however, the counterfeit items are printed on yellow paper stock. The authentic checks are printed on light brown paper stock and have gold foil across the top. A copy of a counterfeit check and a copy of an authentic official check (void) are attached for your review.

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

Ms. Glenda Peacock
Vice President-Security Officer
Valrico State Bank
10101 Bloomingdale Avenue
Valrico, Florida 33569
Telephone: (813) 621-7773
Fax: (813) 620-0212

1st Mariner Bank, Baltimore, Maryland, has also reported to the FDIC that counterfeit cashier's checks are in circulation. The authentic checks are issued by Travelers Express Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, and display the routing number of the Huntington National Bank, Columbus, Ohio, on which they are drawn. The counterfeit checks are similar to the authentic official checks and include the same routing number; however, the authentic official checks have a watermark printed on the back. A copy of a counterfeit check and a copy of an authentic official check (void) are attached for your review.

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

Mr. Jim Heim
Assistant Vice President-Security
1st Mariner Bank
3301 Boston Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21224
Telephone: (410) 342-2600
Fax: (410) 563-4158

Information about these financial institutions or instruments may be forwarded to the FDIC's Special Activities Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4040, 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 Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2004/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
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection