San Angelo police warn local businesses counterfeit money on rise; here's how to spot it

SAN ANGELO —Police have encouraged local San Angelo businesses to pay even closer attention to the paper currency and checks they receive; it may be counterfeit.

"Locally, several criminals are using counterfeit paper IDs with false information to cash stolen and counterfeit checks," according to a San Angelo Police Department news release.

Police say these phony documents have been used to obtain loans at local check-cashing and payday loan centers.

Counterfeit U.S. currency, up to $100 bills, have also been used to make small purchases. Even though the bills are of poor quality, several businesses have accepted them, according to the release.

"In most cases, businesses have reported the suspects are being pushy or in a rush to complete the transaction ... and leave when confronted about the legitimacy of the currency," according to the release.

Police are cautioning employees and business owners to strictly monitor any form of paper identification that is being presented by potential customers and to educate employees about how to spot fake banknotes by visiting the U.S. Currency Education Program website: https://www.uscurrency.gov/

Employees or business owners who suspect someone is trying to use counterfeit money are encouraged to obtain a good description of the person(s) and vehicles involved, provided they can safely do so.

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Multimedia journalist John Tufts often covers crime and courts news. Have a story you'd like him to follow? Send an email to John.Tufts@GoSanAngelo.com. Submit news tips to News@GoSanAngelo.com. Consider supporting locally driven journalism with a subscription to GoSanAngelo.com.