(Arnolds Park)– Area merchants are being told to be on the lookout for some phoney money that’s making the rounds.
Authorities say high quality 100-dollar bills have been circulated in recent days in Fairmont, Minnesota. They say the bills are “washed” five dollar bills that have been reprinted as 100-dollar bills. Counterfeit pens won’t detect the bills because they’re made of paper from the genuine bills.
Authorities say clerks need to pay special attention to the silver strip and watermark on the $100 bills being passed. On a genuine $100 bill when held up to the light, one will see a watermark of Benjamin Franklin on the right side face of the bill and USA 100 is repeated throughout the silver strip.
The recent counterfeit $100 bills will show a watermark of Abraham Lincoln and read USA 5.
Anyone discovering a counterfeit bill or witnessing someone trying to pass one should contact local authorities.
