The Hermiston Police Department has issued a warning to area businesses about fake $20 bills being passed around.
Capt. Scott Clark of the HPD said there are an unknown number of “Motion Picture” $20 bills that in many aspects, look like the real thing.
Clark said, however, that all of the fake bills seized by HPD have the same serial number, KP 58247039 Y. They also include wording on the front such as “THIS NOTE IS NOT LEGAL, IT IS TO BE USED FOR MOTION PICTURES.”
They also include signatures with the titles “Not the Real Secretary” and “This is not a Treasure” printed underneath. Some, said Clark, may still have the stamp “REPLICA” on the upper left and lower right corners, but those stamps can be easily erased.
The consistency of the paper used to print the fake bills is also different and the printing and colors are not as crisp as authentic currency.
Clark said businesses need to be aware of the fake bills.
Simply taking a closer look at the money people are handing you may keep your business from losing out on important profits and becoming a victim of fraud,” said Clark.
