The Los Angeles Police Department, Devonshire Division recently issued a fraudulent currency warning to business owners. Senior lead officer Kathy Bennett provided the following communication from a citizen who has a store on Reseda Boulevard in Northridge. “I wanted to bring to your attention a guy who has been trying to pass off fake money recently. Three times now in two weeks, he’s come into the shop to buy inexpensive items and paid with 100 and 50 dollar bills. The bills are all FIVEs that have been washed and reprinted with the 100 and 50 on them. Our ink marker does not detect it, but our new blacklight machine does. The color strip shows it’s a FIVE. And if you hold the bills up to a light to see the second head on the right, it’s the wrong president. The bills also look a little darker and some of the trim is blurred. Other than that, it’s hard to tell at first glance and feel.” Office Bennett said that anyone who receives one of these fake bills should call 9-1-1, if possible, as this is a crime in progress, but do not try to detain the individual if he tries to leave.
