WINNEMUCCA - There has been a recent increase in counterfeit $10 bills circulating this holiday season and several of these bills have already been passed at Winnemucca-area businesses.
No phony bills have been found in Battle Mountain so far, Undersheriff Robert Quick said.
According to the Winnemucca Police Department, the bills are high quality design and businesses need to train their employees on what to look for before accepting any bills.
The best way to spot a counterfeit bill, according to a WPD news release, is to look for the security characteristic of genuine US currency.
The following chrracteristics are most common to look for:
An embedded security strip that runs from the top to the bottom of the bill. The strip will include the bills denomination and the word USA (i.e.: "USA 100"). Small denominations (one, five, ten) will have the word (i.e.: "USA TEN"), while larger bills will have a numerical value.
Colored security strip under a UV light. When placed under a simple UV light, the security strip will appear a different color than when held up to a normal light source.
A watermark image of the portrait on the front of the bill on all currency $10, $20, $50, and $100 made since 1996. The watermark is the same image as the portrait and visible when the bill is held up to a light source.
Color shifting ink. Tilt the bill about 45 degrees, the color will appear to change from green to gold or black. Color shifting ink can be found on all $100, $50, and $20 dollar bills series, 1996 and later and on $10 dollar bills, 1999 and later. The shift in color will be uniform and noticeable.
The fine print. The color, texture (feel) and fine clear print on all denominations should be crisp and well defined. Sloppy printings, a paper-like feel and off colors are common clues to a counterfeit.
WPD says that if you do suspect a person is passing fraudulent currency, keep any counterfeit currency separated from business cash drawers and contact your local police department.
For additional information on identifying true currency, go to www. Secretservice.gov/money.
Anybody with information please contact the Winnemucca Police Department (775) 623-6396 or Secret Witness at (775) 623-6969.
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