MONROE, MI (WTOL) – Thousands of counterfeit dollars circulated through Monroe County last year. The Monroe Bank and Trust has just 25 locations, but in 2011 it saw nearly $3,500 worth of fake cash.
"Counterfeit currency is prolific because of the ease in which it's made," explained Thomas Scott, risk management officer for Monroe Bank and Trust.
To the untrained eye, the bills look real, which may be why thousands of it end up at area banks each year.
"The most frequently counterfeited note is the $20 bill and we find they come through deposits from cash intensive businesses like fast food chains or gas stations," said Scott.
Scott said the bank sees about three fake notes every week, with a grand total of 131 notes taken out of circulation last year.
"If you knowingly possess counterfeit currency, you're going to have trouble with the law. If you don't know that you have counterfeit currency, and you present that for payment and it's taken from you, you're not going to get reimbursed," Scott said.
However, Scott advised not using counterfeit markers as testers. Nowadays, bills are bleached and reprinted with a higher currency. The pen will not be able to catch the difference.
Instead, Scott suggests searching for watermarks or other security marks in the light. He even suggests scratching the portrait's collar.
"If you can feel the slightest relief from that printed note, then you'll know its genuine currency," said Scott.
According to Scott, even if the bill is worn out, the ridges can still be felt on a real bill, unlike a fake bill.
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