For the , Gilroy police have received a report of counterfeit cash.
On Tuesday at noon, a man used a fake $20 bill to purchase merchandise at Barnes and Noble, according to Gilroy police spokesman Chad Gallacinao.
Gallacinao encouraged business employees to review bills they receive before the transaction is completed in order to “prevent them from being customers of fraud,” he said.
“All bills have security features,” said Gallacinao. “Business owners should know what they are and how to spot them.”
Any small business has the tools to inspect for fake cash: their own set of eyes. According to the U.S. Secret Service, there are a few ways to differentiate a genuine U.S. bill from a counterfeit one.
The portrait on the regular bill will appear lifelike, and distinctly stand out from the rest of the background, while a face on a counterfeit bill will appear flat.
The Federal Reserve and Treasury Seals are another giveaway. On genuine bills, the lines over the seal will be distinct and sharp, whereas in counterfeit bills they are often uneven.
The serial numbers of fake bills may differ in color from the Seals, whereas they are the same ink color on actual dollars.
The borders on regular dollars are also very clear, but they may appear blurry on fake cash.
Red and blue fibers are embedded in normal dollar bills. The counterfeit bills will sometimes try to simulate this effect, printing the dots on the surface. Why not just use the same paper? It’s illegal to reproduce the exact type used for U.S. currency.
