MEDFORD, Ore.– Counterfeit bills appear to be making the rounds at some businesses across Jackson county.
On social media, several people shared photos of $5 and $20 bills labeled as fakes appearing to be passed off as real. According to Medford Police, it’s recorded about 14 counterfeit cases reported between November and December.
Many businesses in downtown Medford said with the holidays they’ve kept an eye open for anything fake but have so far been lucky not to have seen any they’re aware of. Some businesses said they do have tests to see if large bills such as $100 are real.
Mike Dimon, the owner of Portal Brewing Co., says he’s heard of $5 bills making the rounds but hasn’t heard of anything larger yet. But owning a business for 12 years, he says you pick up on what’s real and what’s not.
“The way it feels,” said Dimon. “If it doesn’t feel like the fabric that paper money is made on that’s a dead giveaway.”
Other tests include holding up a bill to the light to see the designs embedded in them or marking them with a counterfeit detector pen.
Police say businesses believing they’ve received a fake should call local law enforcement. That way police can investigate to locate where and who the fake money may be coming from.
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