Authorities warn of counterfeit $100 bills

Police are warning the public about an increase in counterfeit money in circulation on the Big Island.

Ka‘u police officers have been responding to numerous calls about fake $100 bills.

The phony money looks, feels and appears to be real, with the exception of pink Chinese writing characters on the front and back. These are training bills that Chinese banks use to train their tellers in counting foreign currency, police said. The Chinese characters translate to read “For Training Purposes Only.”

A counterfeit detection pen will leave a mark on these bills.

Merchants are advised to be cautious and to use the following methods to detect counterfeit money:

• Locate and read the plastic embedded security thread. It should say “USA” and the bill’s denomination.

• Use an ultraviolet light to detect the thread glow color. The $5 bill should glow blue, the $10 bill should glow orange, the $20 bill should glow green, and the $50 bill should glow yellow. In older versions, the $100 bill should glow pink, while the current $100 bill has a 3-D ribbon.

• Hold the bill up to the light to check for a watermark.

• Tilt the bill to examine the color-shifting ink.

• With a magnifying glass, locate and examine the micro-printing.

Residents and businesses are reminded to treat the fake bill as evidence by placing it into an envelope and call the police immediately.

Anyone with information about individuals involved in the making or circulating of counterfeit bills are urged to call the Police Department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to any Caller ID service. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.