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FARMVILLE – Even though most people prefer to pay with cards and mobile payment options, on Saturday, April 8, the Farmville Police Department reported a case of counterfeit money. 

According to Sam Bowles, spokesperson for the department, the incident seemed to be isolated and the patron that used the bill was unaware that it was fake. However, he added that this points to a larger problem as other people may have acquired fake bills without realizing what happened. 

How does this happen?

Cash is known to pass through many hands and counterfeiters can find easy opportunities to slip in a fake bill unnoticed. Even though using paper money isn’t as common as it used to be, folks are encouraged to stay diligent to make sure they are not falling victim to receiving or accidentally giving fakes. 

“It does appear that it was a well-made counterfeit bill, but when tested with the marker most clerks use it showed the bill to be counterfeit,” said Bowles. “If people have any suspicions to believe any currency in their possession is real, they can purchase one of the markers and test them.”

Checking for counterfeit mistakes 

Using this type of marker is one of many ways people can make sure the bills they use are real. According to a U.S. News and World Report, there are many ways to check if cash is real or counterfeit. The paper should have a certain crisp feel with slightly raised ink. Bills $10 and over have color-changing ink on the right-hand corner making the number change from green to black or gold to green. Other ways to check are to look for the watermark, raised printing, serial number and microprinting. 

Receiving a fake bill can happen in any transaction whether purposeful or accidental. Anyone who finds one is encouraged to report it to local authorities. 

“If someone has been given a fake bill, contact the law enforcement agency that presides over where they received the bill,” said Bowles. “They will be able to receive the bill and handle it accordingly.”