The holiday season is often counterfeiting season for criminals, and this year is no exception.
Counterfeit bills are circulating, both locally and across the country. ESB Financial VP Training Specialist Leslie Seeley says there have only been a handful of counterfeit bills noticed at the bank, but that indicates a more widespread issue. She says banks are well-equipped to spot counterfeit money as it comes in.
In terms of spotting fake bills Police Sgt. Lisa Sage says there is an abundance of resources available for business owners to use to avoid being deceived.
Other tricks to spot a fake bill include checking for watermarks, microprinting, fine line printing patterns or even simply comparing the bill’s texture to another.
The most counterfeited bills are $20s, $50s and $100s. Seeley tells KVOE News counterfeiters normally try to take advantage of busy shopping days, like Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, which explains why dollar bills with words like “For Motion Picture Use Only” get by cashiers.
Check KVOE.com for more information about battling counterfeit money.
