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March 29, 2007

The $20 bills are fake; the change is real

NORTH KINGSTOWN – Local police are warning businesses to be on the look-out for counterfeit $20 bills.

The fake bills have turned up in the last several weeks at local businesses, including a Burger King restaurant, Capt. Charles Brennan said. In each case, the individual makes a small purchase with a single bill.

“He’s going in and buying an order of fries and getting $18.50 back,” Brennan said.

The Police Department is asking businesses and their employees to keep an eye out for the counterfeit money, which Brennan described as a “decent” copy that appears slightly aged. They have been turned over to the Secret Service, which investigates all crimes involving U.S. currency.

New, legitimate bills have a watermark image of the appropriate president in the right corner that is visible when held up to a light. The fake bills have no such mark, he said.

The department urges businesses to learn about other security features on the U.S. Secret Service Web site.

-- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 4:38 PM | Permalink

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