Klamath Falls, Ore. – Counterfeit bills are starting to show up again in southern Oregon.
Pacific Crest Federal Credit Union in Klamath Falls got a bogus bill in a deposit last week.
“A hundred dollar bill.” Explains Pacific Crest’s Juana Ruiz. “And it was pretty obvious it was fake – it was really faded, and it was ‘paper-like’.”
It’s likely that there’s more counterfeit currency out there.
Subway Assistant Manager Gavin Strong is watching for the bills. “We have been made aware through the bank that they are coming, they are out there.”
This is the time of year when counterfeit bills tend to pop up the most often, when tellers and busy clerks are seeing a lot of high denomination bills passed by holiday shoppers.
There are several ways to check for bogus bills, such as special marking pens.
“The feel of the bill.” Adds Juana Ruiz. “The fake ones feel pretty much like regular paper.”
“What I normally do is I hold them up to the light.” Suggests Gavin Strong. “Make sure you can see the watermarks, the line through the bill, and the face on the other side.”
And if you should get a forged bill, Ruiz cautions not to try to buy anything with it. “Because people might think you are the one passing them.”
Not all fake currency is passed at department stores.
The majority of fake bills are passed at fast food restaurants, gas stations, coffee shops, and through private transactions.
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