Palm Springs police issue warning about counterfeit money

Increasing reports of counterfeit money has the Palm Springs Police Department warning businesses in the area. Authorities said the majority of the fake money is being passed around Downtown Palm Springs.

The counterfeit bills they found were $100 and $50 denominations that were originally $5 bills. The bills were chemically washed and reprinted to change the total, according to police.

If you suspect a bill to be counterfeit, officers recommend comparing it to a genuine bill of the same amount by paying attention to the quality of printing and paper characteristics. They said to look for differences, not similarities.

If you receive counterfeit money in Palm Springs:

Don’t return it to the person who gave it to you
Try to delay the person if possible
Contact the Palm Springs Police Department
Make note of the person’s description, including anyone they’re with, and license plate numbers if they leave in a vehicle
Write your initials and the date in the white border areas of the suspected bill
Limit the handling of the bill and carefully place it in protective covering such as an envelope

For more details on how to best detect counterfeit money, visit United States Secret Service.

If you have information about counterfeit money in Palm Springs, call Detective Marcus Litch at (760) 323-8105.