More cases of counterfeit bills found

Two separate incidents of counterfeit bills were reported to Columbia police Tuesday evening.

By Belinda Kocen

Published Aug. 29, 2008

Two separate counterfeit bill incidents were reported to the Columbia Police Department on Tuesday evening.

Columbia police responded between the hours of 9 and 11:55 p.m. to businesses on Business Loop 70 and Paris Road that reported they received fake money. Police did not immediately give specifics about the businesses involved.

The two bills were confiscated with the serial numbers GF66919276B and GJ9401391, a CPD news release stated.

This is not the first incident of fraud in the area. Within the past month, the Taco Bell on Bernadette Drive has been given fraudulent bills.

People are finding ways around the current methods used to decipher fake bills. Many stores are trying to locate other markings on the bills that will help identify them as counterfeit.

Although there are many methods to detect fraudulent bills, some still pass by unnoticed.

"One way is to use the pen," said Brett Burns, assistant manager of Paris Road Military Surplus, which is a business in the area. "There is also a watermark face down at the corner (of the bills). Also, there is a metallic strip that either says 'twenty' or 'ten' or 'fifty' that you can check."

Columbia police officer Andy Muscato, who responded to the call, was unavailable for comment.