Counterfeit official checks bearing the name Pacific National Bank, Miami, Florida, are reportedly in circulation

Pacific National Bank, Miami, Florida, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit official checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.

The counterfeit items display the routing number 066011350, which is assigned to Pacific National Bank. The items are markedly dissimilar to authentic official checks. The counterfeit items display the words "OFFICIAL CHECK" tiered below the bank's name and address in the top-left corner. The phrase "Payable Thru Pacific National Bank" is shown near the top center.

Authentic checks are light blue and when copied or scanned have a "VOID" background. The words "OFFICIAL CHECK" appear in the top-left corner. The following security feature statement is below the micro-encoding: "ABSENCE OF U.S. PATENT NUMBERS IN THE LEFT MARGIN INDICATES THAT THIS CHECK IS FRAUDULENT. THIS AREA IS PRINTED WITH A PINK HEAT SENSITIVE INK THAT WILL DISAPPEAR WHEN BLOWING OR RUBBING." The signature area in the lower-right corner contains watermarks of a knight and a true diamond and the wording "FINGERPRINT CHECK."

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:

Rosario Garcia
Sr Vice President & Chief Operations Officer
Pacific National Bank
1390 Brickell Avenue
Miami, Florida 33131
Telephone: (305) 539-7590
Fax: (305) 539-7464
E-mail: rgarcia@pnb.com

Alternate Contacts:

Roberto Albuja
BSA/AML Officer
Telephone: (305) 539-7687
Fax: (305) 539-7464
E-mail: ralbuja@pnb.com

Jossie Kamarauskas
Operations Officer, Proof & Transit Department
Telephone: (305) 539-7593
Fax: (305) 539-7464
E-mail jkamarauskas@pnb.com

Luciano Garcia
Compliance Officer
Telephone: (305) 539-7566
Fax: (305) 539-7464
E-mail: lgarcia@pnb.com

Francis Gallegos
Assistant Operations Manager
Telephone: (305) 539-7577
Fax: (305) 539-7464
E-mail: fgassegos@pnb.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/2009/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Sandra L. ThompsonDirector
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection