COUNTERFEIT MONEY CIRCULATING HERE

Detecting counterfeit money

Genuine bills have tiny red and blue fibers embedded throughout.

The genuine portrait appears lifelike and stands out distinctly from the fine screenlike background.

The treasury seal is clear, distinct and sharp.

Bills dates after 1996 can be checked by looking for an imbedded security strip.

The serial number has a distinctive style, is evenly spaced and is printed in the same ink color as the treasury seal.

Summary:

Some stores have started using low-cost counterfeit-detector markers.

By Tamara Zellars Buck

Cape Girardeau police and business owners aren't laughing about funny money that has been passed as the real thing recently.

Police Cpl. Kevin Orr said business owners have reported receiving nearly 20 counterfeit bills since June 28, all in $10 and $20 bills.

Orr said the phony bills were reported by a "wide array of businesses," including convenience stores and a swimming pool. He said it was not clear whether the counterfeit bills were passed intentionally in all cases.

"Anytime you have counterfeits passed it's possible someone may have gotten that in change and isn't aware of it," Orr said. "With the number we've had turn up, it's a real possibility we have someone who's bringing them in and passing them."

Although police are handling the reports of counterfeiting, the U.S. Secret Service is the primary investigative office. The Secret Service -- the branch of the U.S. Treasury Department best known for its protection of the president -- was established for the express purpose of suppressing counterfeiting.

Counterfeiting is a violation of federal law, and many banks report incidents of counterfeiting directly to the Secret Service. The Secret Service generally investigates those cases, but if the amount of counterfeit money is not significant, the agency might ask local authorities to handle the case.

Advanced computer technology with laser scanners and laser printers has made counterfeiting bills easier, but it is still fairly easy to detect a counterfeit bill.

Authentic currency is made of special paper not available to the public. It has tiny red and blue fibers embedded throughout the bill, and the serial number has a distinctive style, is evenly spaced and is printed in the same ink color as the treasury seal.

The portrait on an authentic bill has a lifelike, three-dimensional quality and stands out from a fine, boxlike screen in the background. Newer bills minted after 1996 also have an embedded security strip. But even with the design safeguards, counterfeiting is still possible.

Some stores have started using counterfeit-detector markers to help them distinguish genuine currency from fake money. The markers, found at most office supply stores, cost under $5 each and enable cashiers to detect a counterfeit bill with a simple mark. If the mark on the bill is yellow or clear, the bill is good; if the mark turns brown or gray, it is possible the bill is counterfeit.

"It's very quick. You just make a small mark on the bill, and within a couple of seconds you can tell if it's a good bill," said Michael Teets, sales manager at Staples. "We use it pretty much as we take the larger bills."

Teets said no counterfeit bills have been detected at the store.

Orr said cashiers and customers should be on the lookout for more fake money. If a counterfeit bill is received, handle the bill as little as possible. Report the incident immediately to the Cape Girardeau Police Department or U.S. Secret Service at (314) 539-2238.