+--------+---+-----------------------+--------+----------------------+---+
| # O    | # |                       |        |                      | # |
|        | # |                       |        |                      |   |
| ##     | # |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | # |                       |        |                      | # |
|        |   |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | A |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | L |                       |        |                      | # |
|        | E |                       |        |                      | # |
|        | R |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | T |                       |        |                      |   |
|        |   |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | 2 |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | 0 |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | 0 |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | 5 |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | - |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | 2 |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | 4 |                       |        |                      |   |
+--------+---+-----------------------+--------+----------------------+---+
|        | * |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | * |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | O |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | C |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | C |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | A |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | L |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | E |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | R |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | T |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | * |                       |        |                      |   |
|        | * |                       |        |                      |   |
+--------+---+-----------------------+--------+----------------------+---+
| ## Com |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| ptroll |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| er of  |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| the Cu |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| rrency |   |                       |        |                      |   |
|        |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| > A    |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| dminis |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| trator |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| > of   |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| > Na   |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| tional |   |                       |        |                      |   |
| >      |   |                       |        |                      |   |
|  Banks |   |                       |        |                      |   |
+--------+---+-----------------------+--------+----------------------+---+
| ## Su  |   | Counterfeit Cashier's | Descri | Bay Cities National  |   |
| bject: |   | Checks                | ption: | Bank                 |   |
+--------+---+-----------------------+--------+----------------------+---+

**TO:** Chief Executive Officers of All National Banks; All State
Banking Authorities; Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System; Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Director,
Office of Thrift Supervision; Conference of State Bank Supervisors;
Deputy Comptrollers (districts); Assistant Deputy Comptrollers; District
Counsel; and All Examining Personnel

**RE:** Counterfeit Cashier's Checks of Bay Cities National Bank,
Redondo Beach, CA

The above-named bank has reported that counterfeit cashier's checks
issued in the bank's name and using the bank's correct routing number,
122239270, are being presented for payment.

The counterfeit checks may be identified by the following: a standard
check stock which is light purple in color and contains the bank's name
in the upper-left corner. The following phrase appears directly below
the bank name "The Community Bank of the South Bay," and a fictitious
telephone number of "800-664-0155" appears below the phrase. The check
contains a dark border at the top that includes the notice: "THIS
DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED BACKGROUND AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE
INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK." The words "Check No." appear in the
top-right corner of the check, and the sections for *Date*, *Pay to the
Order of*, *Memo*, *Signature*, and dollar amounts are underscored. The
words "CASHIER'S CHECK" appears in the lower-left portion of the
instrument.

> Authentic cashier's checks issued by the bank are light blue in color
> with a faint image of the bank logo over a fading pattern of the bank
> name. The printed wording throughout the check is a darker blue in
> color. There is a strip along the top of the check in yellow with a
> statement "DO NOT CASH IF THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT HAVE A FAINT IMAGE OF
> THE BANK LOGO OVER A FADING PATTERN OF THE BANK NAME." A similar strip
> appears at the bottom of the check with the following: "WARNING: THIS
> DOCUMENT HAS A TRUE WATERMARK AND VISIBLE FIBERS -- HOLD UP TO THE
> LIGHT TO VIEW." The bank's logo and bank name appear in the top-left
> portion with the phrase "Your Premier Community Bank," the bank's
> address of "1333 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach, CA 90277" and
> two blank lines that are underscored. The following statement appears
> at the top center portion of the check "AN INDEMNITY BOND SHALL BE
> REQUIRED BEFORE ANY OFFICIAL CHECK OF THIS BANK WILL BE REPLACED OR
> REFUNDED IF LOST, MISPLACED OR STOLEN." The words "CASHIER'S CHECK"
> appear directly under the statement. The *Pay To The Order Of* and
> dollar amount sections include enclosed boxes for the information. The
> statement "Member FDIC" appears in the bottom-left portion of the
> check.
>
> You can verify the authenticity of Bay Cities National Bank's
> cashier's checks by contacting Rowena Libra, operations administrator,
> at 1333 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach, CA 90277, by telephone
> at (310) 540-2265 ext 212, by fax at 310-316-1005 or via email at
> \[rlibra@bcnb.net\].
>
> Additional information concerning this matter that you believe should
> be brought to the attention of the OCC may be forwarded to:

E-mail: occalertresponses@occ.treas.gov

Mail: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Enforcement & Compliance Division, MS 8-10

250 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20219

Fax: (202) 874-5301

Internet: http://www.occ.treas.gov

Brian C. McCormally

Director for Enforcement & Compliance