COLUMBIA — Fake $100 bills were used at several businesses in Columbia over the weekend, according to a news release from the Columbia Police Department.
The One Dollar Shop at 1400 Forum Blvd., the Dairy Queen at 1201 Forum Blvd. and Papa Murphy's Pizza at 1305 Grindstone Pkwy. all reported receiving counterfeit bills over the weekend, Columbia Police Officer Jessie Haden said. The Movie Gallery, 2101 W. Broadway; Radio Shack, 2013 W. Worley St.; and Party America, 1901 Bernadette St., have since reported receiving counterfeit bills.
The counterfeits are made by bleaching one-dollar bills and transferring images from genuine $100 bills onto them. The phony bills will pass a counterfeit pen test, so they often aren't spotted until a bank conducts more thorough tests, according to the release. A UV light test reveals red security threads in authentic bills, which are not present in fakes, Haden said.
On a real bill, the "100" in the top corner is a hologram and changes color when tilted back and forth, according to the release. This is not true of the fake bills.
The serial numbers on the bills reported so far are FE33586545A and FL45263587C, according to the release.
CPD is investigating the cases. You may contact CrimeStoppers at 875tips.com or by calling 875-TIPS with any information.
For more information on the security features of U.S. currency, go to accubanker.com.