Police warn about not-so-funny money

UPDATE

There’s a series of counterfeit $100 bills going around. Idaho Falls Police say there are several ways to tell what’s real and what’s fake. These bills actually say, “It’s not money, it’s a joke.” They also misspell the word “souvenir.” The real bills have micro printing, color changing ink, a water mark and a security embedded ribbon as well as a 3D ribbon. They say the best way to catch this is just paying closer attention when handling money.

“Don’t be too rushed,” Detective Sage Albright with the Idaho Falls Police Department, said. “If you look at the bills, a lot of our counterfeit bills are, I mean, they look fake immediately. The coloring’s bad, the printing’s bad. Some of them, the shape is not the way it should be, the margins are off. So just pay really close attention and look at the money.”

Detective Albright says it can be difficult to trace these bills back to a suspect, especially when they get used at places such as restaurants. He also warns to be careful when handling money in situations such as buying from someone on Craigslist. They can give you the money and run before you realize it’s fake.

ORIGINAL STORY

Idaho Falls Police are warning us to be on the watch for counterfeit bills.

Police report increasing reports of scams and fraudulent money.

They suggest checking bills for holograms and markers of authenticity.

The “funny” money police retrieved Wednesday note that the bill isn’t real money, “it’s a joke.”

Anyone who sees any of the counterfeits should contact Idaho Falls Police dispatch at 208-529-1200.