Realistic ‘play money’ being passed in Moultrie

Published 9:00 am Monday, October 1, 2018

MOULTRIE, Ga. — It may be a joke to trick friends with realistic looking wads of novelty cash, but for businesses where it has been passed the funny money is no laughing matter.

Police warn businesses to check bills to make sure they are authentic.

In the last couple of weeks one Moultrie fast food restaurant has been stuck with 18 of the phony bills adding up to $360, according to the Moultrie Police Department. They also have been turning up at other businesses.

The fake bills look quite realistic, but if one looks closely they have statements printed on them stating they’re not real. But the quality apparently looks enough like the real thing for cashiers to accept them, especially when there is a long line of customers waiting.

Sometimes referred to as “movie prop” money, the bills are legal to possess. Using them to pay for a burger and fries, not so much.

“You can possess this money as long as you’re not trying to defraud somebody,” Moultrie police Sgt. Shavarye Anderson said. “That’s what the Secret Service said. You can buy it on eBay; you can buy it in pallets.”

The bills all have the same serial number and several statements indicating they are not legal tender.

“For at least the last couple of weeks we’ve been running into these $20 bills,” Anderson said. “What we want is for all the businesses to start checking them (closely).”

Anderson also advised cashiers and businesses to examine larger bills even if they are not the type that note their inauthenticity in writing on front and back.

“Actually mark the money,” he said. “If it comes back with that black color/dark color, don’t hesitate to call law enforcement.”