ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – More than $70 million in counterfeit cash is making its way across America right now, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury.
The Secret Service is currently investigating a case in St. Johns County where more than $700 in fake money was used to make a purchase at a Walmart.
"It's not common that we have someone come in with 15 bills at one time -- all of the same denomination -- and pass them off," St. Johns County Sheriff's Office spokesman Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan said.
But that's exactly what happened Sunday. Surveillance cameras at a Walmart in St. Augustine captured a man (pictured) paying with more than a dozen phony $50 bills.
Mulligan said counterfeiters are getting more creative when making fake money, and they know how to spend it.
ONLINE: How to detect counterfeit money
"They go to generally areas that are busy. They hope to have a line, potentially, where the clerk feels like, 'I need to move these customers along,'" he said.
Authorities say consumers and business owners need to be more vigilant when dealing with cash. There are ways you can spot a fake:
- Take a look at the portrait. It should appear lifelike and stand out from the background. The portraits on the fake bills usually appear flat and merge into the background.
- The border should be clear and unbroken. Borders on counterfeit bills may be blurred and indistinct.
- Check the serial numbers to make sure they're not exactly the same. It should be printed with the same ink as the Treasury Seal.
- You can also use a bill marker that can detect counterfeit bills, but they're not always dependable if the real money has been in close contact with other materials.
"It might -- and I emphasize the might -- give you a false reading, but the pens are a great resource, and they should certainly be used," Mulligan said.
Checking cash as soon as you get it may keep you from losing money.
"Obviously the government doesn't have a fund to replace people's money because of the criminal acts of others," Mulligan said.
If you've been given any fake money or suspect it is fake, contact police immediately. Chances are you won't be getting your money back, but it will keep that fake money out of circulation.