Beware of counterfeit bills
Submitted by jcht2010 on
By Lisa Shapiro
Staff Writer
A recent increase in counterfeit bills locally has led Edna businesses to use counterfeit detecting pens when customers make purchases in cash, Edna Police Chief Clinton Wooldridge said.
“The bills are not real good fakes,” Wooldridge said. “The security strip is not shiny and all of the bills we have so far have the same serial number. They are also a tiny bit smaller than real bills.”
He said one business and a bank so far has reported counterfeit bills. He believes both cases are connected to the same person(s).
Within the past week Edna banks have received multiple counterfeit $100 bills. The bills received so far have been traced to individuals who received them in payment for services or goods. Those individuals then knowingly or unknowingly attempted to re-circulate the fake bills through a legitimate business or bank.
The fake $100 bills that the Police Department has received so far are all of the new style and show to be 2009 series bills. All of the bills collected so far have also had the same serial number ending in 1602 B. The bills will show as counterfeit if the recipient tests them with a counterfeit money detector pen. Those pens may be purchased at the Jackson County Office Supply, 306 N. Wells in Edna. If you have received a $100 bill and are suspicious of it please call the Edna Police Department at (361) 782-5271.
Wooldridge said it is very uncommon for Edna to receive several counterfeit bills all at one time.
Usually it’s a stray bill that’s changed hands several times after it left the counterfeiter’s hands and a bank or store would check it and find it’s counterfeit, he said.
If counterfeiting is filed federally it is investigated by the Secret Service and the range of punishment can be pretty severe.
“If we file in State Court the range it is classified as a Third Degree Felony, punishable by imprisonment in TDCJ of not more than 10 years or less than 2 years and a fine not to exceed $10,000,” Wooldridge said.
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