+--------+---+-------------------------+--------+---------------------+---+
| # O    | # |                         |        |                     | # |
|        | # |                         |        |                     |   |
| ##     | # |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | # |                         |        |                     | # |
|        |   |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | A |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | L |                         |        |                     | # |
|        | E |                         |        |                     | # |
|        | R |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | T |                         |        |                     |   |
|        |   |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | 2 |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | 0 |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | 0 |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | 5 |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | - |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | 1 |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | 6 |                         |        |                     |   |
+--------+---+-------------------------+--------+---------------------+---+
|        | * |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | * |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | O |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | C |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | C |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | A |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | L |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | E |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | R |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | T |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | * |                         |        |                     |   |
|        | * |                         |        |                     |   |
+--------+---+-------------------------+--------+---------------------+---+
| ## Com |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| ptroll |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| er of  |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| the Cu |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| rrency |   |                         |        |                     |   |
|        |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| > A    |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| dminis |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| trator |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| > of   |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| > Na   |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| tional |   |                         |        |                     |   |
| >      |   |                         |        |                     |   |
|  Banks |   |                         |        |                     |   |
+--------+---+-------------------------+--------+---------------------+---+
| ## Su  |   | Counterfeit Official    | Descri | First National Bank |   |
| bject: |   | Checks                  | ption: | in Alamogordo       |   |
+--------+---+-------------------------+--------+---------------------+---+

**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 Official Checks of First National Bank in
Alamogordo, New Mexico

The above-named bank has reported that counterfeit official checks
issued in the bank's name and using the bank's correct routing number,
112202123, are being presented for payment. While the counterfeit items
are strikingly similar to the authentic items, the counterfeit checks
may be identified by the following: A light blue graduated background
(dark to light) with a dark blue banner across the top, which includes a
notice "This document has a graduated background. Dark to Light. The
reverse side includes an artificial watermark." All checks, presented to
date show the remitter as Eric Meade, are in the amount of \$4,900.00,
and include a signature similar to that of bank employee Marie Harms.

> Authentic official checks issued by the bank are light blue in color
> with a background design and include a watermark on the back of the
> check. Directly under the payment amount line, the following phrase
> appears "This document has a colored background, Foil Guard and a
> backside authentic watermark; absence of these features will indicate
> a copy."
>
> Both the authentic and counterfeit checks include the bank's logo in
> the upper-left corner with the bank's address located to the right,
> and the term "OFFICIAL CHECK" appearing in the top center.
>
> You can verify the authenticity of the First National Bank in
> Alamogordo's official checks by contacting Operations Officer Kelly
> Nichols, at 414 Tenth Street, Alamogordo, NM 88310, by telephone at
> (505) 443-5272, by fax at (505) 437-1631 or via e-mail at
> \[Kelly.Nichols@fnbalamo.com\].
>
> Additional information concerning this matter that you believe should
> be brought to the attention of 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