NEWS

Local police investigate few counterfeiting reports

Kate Snyder
Reporter

ZANESVILLE - Despite messages on social media about counterfeit bills circulating in Zanesville and surrounding areas, reports of such bills have so far been isolated incidents.

There have been 16 incidents involving counterfeit bills between Feb. 11 and July 5 of this year, according to Detective Sgt. Harry Taylor, with the Zanesville Police Department. There were no incidents in January.

Front of counterfeit $50 bill

Taylor said incidents have included a variety of places and bills, which indicates that none came from a single operation and they all appear to be isolated incidents. Taylor encouraged residents who discover a bill they believe to be counterfeit to turn the bill in to the police.

Jonathan Schuck, resident agent in charge at the Secret Service Columbus Resident Office, said his office handles counterfeiting incidents in 30 counties in Ohio, including Muskingum County. Schuck's office gets few calls about counterfeit bills in rural areas — most incidents are in Columbus — but it does happen.

The most popular bill is the $20, but agents also get reports about $5 or $1 bills that are bleached and made to look like $100 bills, Schuck said.

A majority of counterfeit bills, especially in rural areas, come from people making them in their homes, Schuck said. If someone is suspicious that a bill they received is counterfeit, there are a number of official watermarks and security threads listed and pictured on the Secret Service's website under the link Know Your Money. If a bill was printed unofficially, it also might have dots from the ink that a real bill would not have.

"They can always compare it to one they know is genuine," Schuck said.

Residents can and should take fake bills or suspected fake bills to a local police department or local bank, he said. The bill will be taken, and the money will not be reimbursed to the individual.

"Basically, they're out of the money," he said. "That's why it's such a problem."

ksnyder2@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

740-450-6752

Twitter: @KL_Snyder