Counterfeit $50 and $100 bills changing hands in Maricopa businesses

Some of the money floating around Maricopa isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.

The Maricopa Police Department released a report Wednesday claiming that several businesses have been the victims of counterfeit money.

The counterfeit bills being distributed in the community are $50 and $100 denominations.

Both of these denominations are the old style bills with the $50 bills printed on washed $5 bills, and the $100 bills printed on washed $1 bills.

Since they are printed on standard bill paper, they pass the counterfeit marker pen test.

However, there is one trick that the counterfeiters didn’t think of – tape.

The older $50 and $100 bills both have a plastic piece of tape inserted into the right side of the bill. This tape will say whether the bill is a $5, $10, $20, $50 or $100 bill. In order to see this embedded tape, look at the bill in the light.

If the tape doesn’t match or is missing, police are advising you not to accept it and to report the incident to the proper authorities.

“We are looking for video surveillance tapes, license plate numbers or even just descriptions of people trying to pass fraudulent money,” said MPD Public Information Officer Stephen Judd.

Judd also indicated that if people are in the act of trying to pass the bill, a call to police would be helpful.

“We can detain them until the proper authorities arrive,” Judd said.

If a business does unknowingly have in its possession counterfeit bills, they can either give them to a financial institution, which will do all the required paperwork, or they can file a counterfeit note report.

“When you do turn these bad bills in, they are not going to give you a good one,” Judd said.

If you receive or come to have in your possession any counterfeit bills, you are urged to contact the local United States Secret Service Office at (602) 640-5580 for assistance.

The United States Secret Service has jurisdiction over all counterfeit currency. You can also go to the United States Secret Service Web site and download a “Counterfeit Note Report” so that you can report and send the counterfeit to the appropriate federal authorities.

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