Fake $100 Bills Circulating In Sarasota

SARASOTA, FL — Folks who live in or pass through the Sarasota area might want to take a closer look at their cash. If $100 bills are in their wallets, there’s a chance the currency just might be fake.

Since Jan. 1, Sarasota Police Department detectives have found themselves investigating five different cases involving phony cash. All of the bills have been $100 in denomination and they all stood out as odd for a few rather glaring reasons, department spokeswoman Genevieve Judge said.

“The counterfeit currency is stamped with the words ‘For Motion Picture Use Only’ and is being passed as real currency,” Judge wrote in an email. “This has also occurred in other parts of the United States.”

Police say the fake bills can be spotted due to three main discrepancies from the real deal:

• Benjamin Franklin has a raised eyebrow
• Instead of United States of America, the bills say For Motion Picture Use Only
• The top of the bills say One Hundred instead of One Hundred Dollars

Police say the fake cash can actually be purchased online at a low cost. The prop bills have been passed as the real thing in other parts of the country, but Judge says neither the Sarasota or Manatee county sheriff’s offices have had similar cases in recent months.

Anyone who receives a $100 bill, however, is advised to check it closely for anything that seems amiss, such as that raised eyebrow Ben Franklin.

Anyone who does happen to receive the currency, is asked to call the Sarasota Police Department at 941-366-8000. Anonymous tips may also be left with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS or by going online to www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com.

Photo courtesy of the Sarasota Police Department

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