Watch out for counterfeit money during the holidays

Happy Holidays, watch out for counterfeit bills !! This time of the year can be a retailer's nightmare as far as counterfeit money goes. The US Secret Service says that counterfeiting is rampant this time of the year because the confusion and crowds at the registers make passing fake bills much easier. Everyone needs to be diligent in checking their bills...even the consumers can receive a fake bill in their change if they are not careful. The pens that stores use to check the bills do not work because the paper they use to make the fake bills is good paper made from "washing" a real bill or the counterfeiter has just added a "0" to a five making it a fifty or to a ten making it a hundred. Also counterfeiters can spray fabric softener on a counterfeit bill which fools the pens into thinking they are genuine. Some steps you can take to avoid accepting a fake bill:

• Use an electronic detection device that actually reads the micro-printing and displays the true denomination of the bill such as out C-3310 detector


• Look at the number in the lower right corner of the bill and it should change in the light as you shift the bill


• Look at the face on the bill watermark and check to see if the face is the same as the face printed on the bill


• Make sure the portrait and the serial numbers on the bill are clear and not fuzzy

If you do mistakenly accept a counterfeit bill do NOT try to pass it on, to do so is a crime. Put the bill in an envelope and call your local police. Try to remember as much as you can about the source of the bill.