St. Landry Sheriff's Office Warns of Counterfeit Money

St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz and his office are warning the public about counterfeit money circulating in the area.

In a post on Facebook, the Sheriff's Office says that most of the complaints are coming from local truck stop casinos and are in all denominations. They say detectives have been working on several cases where even marking pen and counters aren't detecting the fake bills.

To help spot counterfeit bills, the Sheriff's Office has a few tips for residents:

Feel the bill -- Counterfeit money will have a different feel than authentic money, which is made of cotton and linen.

Look at the bill -- There are embedded fibers of red and blue in bills. Counterfeit money will not have the fibers but some try to print the colors on the paper. Check the color of the bills too. Often times the counterfeiter does not match the colors.

Check for security features -- There are security features in all denominations except the $1 and $2. The easiest way to spot a fake $5, $10, $20, $50, or $100 bill is to look for these security features. Look for an embedded security thread (a plastic strip) running from top to bottom. Hold the bill up to a light, you will see the strip and printing on it. You can also check for a watermark by holding it up to a light. A watermark bearing the image of the person whose portrait is on the bill can be found on all $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills series 1996 and later, and on $5 bills series 1999 and later.

Hopefully, this helps you detect counterfeit money. If you do receive a counterfeit, you will not be able to be reimbursed by law enforcement or any bank. But in the event of an arrest, the courts may order restitution.

The St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office urges anyone who thinks they have a counterfeit bill to call their local enforcement agency.