Regarding a 3.95% APY, 12 Month CD through "Orlando First Guaranty" FDIC-Insured, and a 4.01% APY, 6 Month CD, "insured and guaranteed" through "First Financial Group" advertised recently (9/8 & 9/26) in editions of the Orlando Sentinel ; I imagine both of these would fall into the "to good to be true category," but does anyone have any experience with either of these firms or know how they operate?

The FDIC actually had a consumer news tip on these types of advertised CDs. Here is an excerpt from that FDIC article:
it could be a marketing ploy. "An offer of a very high interest rate may be a lure to promote the sale of non-insured products," said Richard M. Schwartz, an FDIC attorney who specializes in consumer issues. "Some non-bank companies are using the FDIC logo and good name to draw customers in the door for a bank CD, but sooner or later, they're going to try to lock them into a long-term investment that may not be in the customer's best interest."



