Counterfeit check security and bank closing alerts (6/17/2010)

We got 21 FDIC counterfeit check and five bank closing alerts today, which may well be a record.

Many of you are IT professionals, responsible for not only keeping your systems running, but also managing the security of your users. With phishing, spam, and and other scams on the rise, keeping users secure becomes more and more of a challenge.

Beyond computer-based security, banking scams are on the rise. I get FDIC Special Security Alerts each week from the FDIC about banking scams, in particular counterfeit check alerts.

Because of the damage that can be done from these banking scams, I thought it'd be helpful to keep you in the loop, and perhaps you help keep your users on the lookout. This week, I'm also listing a few bank closings reported by the FDIC.

Today's Alerts for counterfeit check scams

The following counterfeit items have been reported in circulation:

• Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Anchor Bank, National Association, St. Paul, Minnesota
• Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Bank of Santa Clarita, Santa Clarita, California
• Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Central Valley Community Bank, Clovis, California
• Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Citizens Bank & Trust, Inc., Trenton, Georgia
• Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Citizens and Farmers Bank, West Point, Virginia
• Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Collin Bank of Frisco, Texas
• Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Great Western Bank, Watertown, South Dakota
• Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Greenfield Banking Company, Greenfield, Indiana
• Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Mariners Bank, Edgewater, New Jersey
• Counterfeit cashier's checks bearing the name Union State Bank, West Salem, Wisconsin
• Counterfeit checks bearing the name Cambridge State Bank, Cambridge, Minnesota
• Counterfeit checks bearing the name Citizens Community Federal, Altoona, Wisconsin
• Counterfeit checks bearing the name Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh, Brooklyn, New York
• Counterfeit money orders bearing the name Mutual Federal Savings and Mutual Federal Bank, Chicago, Illinois
• Counterfeit money orders bearing the name Wells Federal Bank, Wells, Minnesota
• Counterfeit official bank checks bearing the name First Savings Bank of Hegewisch, Lansing, Illinois
• Counterfeit official checks bearing the name CapitalBank, Greenwood, South Carolina
• Counterfeit official checks bearing the name Ever Bank Corp, Jacksonville, Florida
• Counterfeit official checks bearing the name First Federal Bank, Portsmouth, Ohio
• Counterfeit official checks bearing the name Franklin Bank, Woodstown, New Jersey
• Counterfeit official checks bearing the name Security Bank of Kansas City

Let's add in those five bank closings:

• Arcola Homestead Savings Bank (CERT #31813), Arcola, IL
• Sun West Bank (CERT #34785), Las Vegas, NV
• Bank of Florida - Southwest (CERT #35106), Naples, FL
• Bank of Florida - Southeast (CERT #57360), Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• Bank of Florida - Tampa Bay (CERT #57814), Tampa, FL

All deposits, excluding certain brokered deposits, were transferred to the acquiring institution.

That's it for now. Here's a detailed series of tips that'll help protect you from check scams.

Hopefully, there won't be any more for a while.