Ocean City Police warning citizens, business owners of counterfeit currency

OCEAN CITY, Md. – The Ocean City Police Department is warning residents, business owners, and employees to be on the lookout for counterfeit money that is circulating through the area.

According to police, there have been two reports of counterfeit money in the past week, including multiple $100 bills. These bills are marked as “play money” or have Chinese writing on both sides.

Police are encouraging citizens to closely examine cash before accepting it. They also say that often times counterfeit detection pens will generate false results, as scammers can use bleached currency or coat counterfeit bills to prevent the proper chemical reactions caused by using the pens.

The Federal Reserve Board recommends using the following tips to detect suspicious or counterfeit money:

• Feel the paper; the bill should feel slightly rough to the touch. If it feels different than what you are use to, examine it further.
• Tilt the bill back and forth to observe the color-shifting ink in the right-hand corner of bills $10 or higher. Most bills will shift from copper to green.
• Check the watermark and security thread by holding the bill up to a light. A watermark should be visible from both sides and will match the portrait or denomination. A security thread should also be visible from both sides and match the denomination. When held up to UV light, the security thread will glow a unique color.

More information on how to detect counterfeit cash can be found here.