Bloomfield Township Police Need Help Identifying Counterfeit Bandit

have released a photo of a man suspected of using a counterfeit bill in at least one of three separate fraud incidents reported by local stores in the past month.

The third incident was reported to police this week and involved a bogus $50 bill, according to a news release issued Thursday. Further details were not immediately available.

Police said two men tried to pass bogus $50 bills about 3 p.m. July 21 at Soccer Plus, 2191 Telegraph Rd., but they left when an employee declined to accept the money, reports said. Police said the men then went just a few doors down and made purchases at Cary Ann’s Hallmark not long after. The men were described as in their 20s and were seen driving in a red Chevy Blazer, reports said.

Police said they suspect these are the same individual or individuals who passed a counterfeit $50 bill July 15 at Piepers Pies, 43119 Woodward Ave.

No other physical descriptions were available.

Troy Police reported an incident last week where a woman tried to pass a fake $100 bill at a clothing store in . She was confronted by store employees and fled in a vehicle with New York license plates before officers arrived.

It's unclear whether that incident is related to the Bloomfield area reports.

Anyone with information about the man in the surveillance photo or about any of the incidents is asked to contact the Police Department’s Investigations Division at 248-433-7752

The U.S. Secret Service, which investigates large-scale counterfeit fraud, has these suggestions to help spot "funny money" so you can avoid being duped or unwittingly duping someone else:

• Scan the portraits. The picture on the face of a bill will stand out distinctly from the background, while counterfeit bills have dull facial features that tend to merge into the darker background.
• Look for official seals. The Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury seals will have clear, distinct and sharp points. Fake seals have uneven, broken points.
• Consistency counts. Legitimate bills have clear and unbroken borders that are centered perfectly on the paper.
• Feel and look closely at the paper. Genuine currency has tiny blue and red fibers embedded throughout the bills. Counterfeiters often try to simulate them, but a close inspection should reveal whether the fibers are embedded.
• Take note of serial numbers. The combinations of numbers and letters on every bill are distinctively styled and evenly spaced.

Source: U.S. Secret Service.