Funny Money: Counterfeits no laughing matter

Counterfeit money is being circulated in Kimball according to a recent news release from Kimball Police chief Darren Huff.

Initially, Huff said Points West Bank identified phony bills on several occasions and contacted the police to report them. However, FirsTier Bank in Kimball has also reported counterfeit money and Huff said that, to date, fake $5, $10, $20 and $100 denominations have been collected.

These bills have been passed and returned from business deposits this year, and many of the local businesses have no way to determine when they were received – leaving these victims with no suspects to identify.

“This is becoming a big problem and a financial burden to our area merchants. It is important that area merchants educate themselves with respect to identifying counterfeit currency, and how to identify the security features of US currency,” Huff said. “We are seeing more and more counterfeit bills that are printed on common printer paper, using high end laser printers, and the perpetrators are making the bills look like well-circulated currency.”

Additionally, the counterfeit bills can easily be passed on to innocent individuals who may not be paying attention to the money they receive for change or for payment from a cash sale.

He added that the best way to check currency is using the security features on all United States currency.

“This can be done quickly and easily. Please educate yourself and don’t become a victim,” Huff added. “Individuals can come to the Police Department for education on counterfeit currency. Obviously if a citizen unknowingly passes a counterfeit bill, intent has to be established for it to be criminal, however, that citizen would still be out the face value of the counterfeit currency.”

Security features for United States currency from http://www.uscurrency.gov:

$1 – Has raised printing. Move your finger along the note’s surface to feel the raised printing, which gives genuine Federal Reserve notes their distinctive texture.

$5 - Features subtle background colors of light purple and gray. The $5 note includes an embedded security thread that glows blue when illuminated by UV light. Two watermarks are featured in the $5 note, and they are visible from both sides of the note when held to light. Look for a vertical pattern of three numeral 5s to the left of the portrait and a large numeral 5 located in the blank space to the right of the portrait.

$10 - Features subtle background colors of orange, yellow, and red. The $10 note includes an embedded security thread that glows orange when illuminated by UV light. When held to light, a portrait watermark of Alexander Hamilton is visible from both sides of the note. In addition, the note includes a color-shifting numeral 10 in the lower right corner of the note.

$20 - Features subtle background colors of green and peach.The $20 note includes an embedded security thread that glows green when illuminated by UV light. When held to light, a portrait watermark of President Jackson is visible from both sides of the note. In addition, the note includes a color-shifting numeral 20 in the lower right corner of the note.

$50 - features subtle background colors of blue and red. The $50 note includes an embedded security thread that glows yellow when illuminated by UV light. When held to light, a portrait watermark of President Grant is visible from both sides of the note. In addition, the note includes a color-shifting numeral 50 in the lower right corner of the note.

$100 - The current design $100 note is the latest denomination of U.S. currency to be redesigned, and it was issued on October 8, 2013. The current design $100 note features additional security features including a 3-D Security Ribbon and color-shifting Bell in the Inkwell. The $100 note also includes a portrait watermark of Benjamin Franklin that is visible from both sides of the note when held to light.