Phony $100 Bills Found in Effingham

We told you earlier that Crossroads Bank in Effingham had received phony $100 bills in recent days.

Turns out, the bank wasn't the only location.

Effingham City Police Chief Jason McFarland Tuesday said the counterfeit currency also was found at other businesses.

McFarland said it's also not just a case of one person involved. 

The chief said counterfeit cash turns up periodically. The suspects have different angles. Some suspects use a phony $100 bill to purchase a small amount of merchandise at a business and then get a large amount of change that gives them real currency.

Others take along their own currency printing operation when they head for a community. McFarland said the suspects will get a motel room and then spend two or three days printing the bogus bills and then spending them around the community before hitting the road for another target.

Sometimes, McFarland says, the suspects use "prop money" that is used in movie or television productions. Some of that counterfeit money even says "used in movie and TV productions" or have some sort of Chinese writing on them.

The chief said the one thing the crooks can't fake is color shifting in real currency. He said it usually is done by checking the right corner of a bill, and said fake bills can't capture the color shifting characteristics seen in legitimate currency.

McFarland said in this instance, the suspects had fake currency, as well as guns and drugs. They were arrested and are awaiting trial.