Sheriff warns Adair County residents of counterfeit bills in circulation

Sheriff Gary Roy is urging businesses and residents to be on alert after reports of counterfeit money occurred last week in Adair County.

According to the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, individuals recently reported receiving fake currency in two separate incidents. The counterfeit bills included a twenty-dollar bill and a five-dollar bill.

Roy advised all businesses and citizens to examine cash carefully during transactions. The sheriff said anyone who believes they have received a counterfeit bill should contact local law enforcement immediately.

The investigation into the counterfeit bills is ongoing.

Roy offers these tips to help identify counterfeit money.

• Feel the texture of the bill. Genuine currency has slightly raised ink.
• Compare it with another bill of the same denomination and series.
• Fake bills will be flatter and have less detail.
• The print quality of fake bills will usually be dull, blurry, and flat.
• Since 1990, five-dollar bills and above have security features such as a thread that runs top to bottom that says “USA”.
• There is a watermark to the right with the same number as the denomination.