An internal memo alerted Newsweek staffers that funds collected during the Tip Sheet Holiday Sale in December are missing. Donations to the New York Times Neediest Cases Fund—who would have guessed that a Washington Post property would be donating to the New York Times?—have been compromised, along with Newsweek staffers' bank accounts. Newsweek offers to reimburse any associated banking fees. But much more intriguing than this goof are rumors of an upcoming buyout. Know anything? Drop a line. Full Newsweek memo after the jump.

From Deidre Depke, Editor of Newsweek.com:

URGENT: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

I regret to have to tell you that some of the funds collected during the
Tip Sheet Holiday Sale that took place on December 11, 2007, are
missing. We don't have a list of who wrote checks (each of which would
have been made payable to "The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund"), so
I'm reaching out to all of you who might have attended the Sale to alert
you to the situation — the immediate concern is for the security of
your bank account. I've spoken to my Newsweek colleagues and here's
what they suggest:

· you should review your past couple of bank statements, or check
with your bank, to see if your check was ever deposited. If it was
deposited, please let Maggie Buehler know immediately. If it wasn't
deposited, you should strongly consider putting a "Stop Payment" order
on the check (your bank can tell you how to do this). Newsweek has
agreed to reimburse you for any related bank fees.

· you should talk to your bank about whether, for security reasons,
it might be advisable to change your account number. Again, Newsweek
has agreed to reimburse you for any associated bank fees.

I'm aware that this situation may cause you some inconvenience — but
the primary and immediate concern is for the security of your checking
account.

If you're still interested in making a donation to The New York Times
Neediest Cases Fund, you can send your check to Maggie. Newsweek will
match your contribution (and it won't affect your matching gift limit
for 2008).

Again, I'm truly sorry for any inconvenience. If you have any questions
or concerns, please contact