KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There were several reports of one or more people attempting to pass counterfeit bills in the Brookside area Wednesday.
The Brookside Business Association issued an alert Wednesday. It sent out the pictures seen above of a real bill (top) and counterfit (below).
The Brookside Business Association advised people look out of things like paper that feels different than a normal bill, missing details or darker ink. They also advised checking the watermark. An official watermark will be crisp with clear details. Counterfeits often look cartoonish.
It also warned against movie money, which they say is readily available online. It often contains text that says "For Motion Picture Purposes" and features an image of Benjamin Franklin who is smirking or has a raised eyebrow.
Another hint is customers using a large bill for a small purchase or asking for the cashier to break a large bill into smaller ones.
Sean Ackerson with the Southtown Council said they see this too often.
"People trying to pass counterfeit bills is something we see commonly. It doesn't really have a rhyme or reason, it just happens every so often," Ackerson said.
