Double check your cash, especially in Florida, because movie set money is going around, according to authorities. These bills are marked as fake, but they look real at first glance.
The Key West Police Department first notified the public about a slew of prop bills making their way into circulation this September. It said the fake $20 bills had President Andrew Jackson smirking, unlike the usual U.S. currency.
This Monday, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, also in Florida, also noted that it had received reports about fake bills from film sets, as noted by USA Today.
“The $100 bills are marked as fake, stating they are to be used only in making motion pictures, but they may look accurate at a casual glance,” the department said. It asked the public to help spread the word.
News of the counterfeit bills comes as inflation woes increase in the U.S. ahead of the holiday season and amidst the longest government shutdown in history, which has impacted SNAP benefits and paychecks for federal employees. Fortune reported Wednesday that some Americans are even counting on Black Friday sales to help them pay for groceries and essentials.
According to research published this year by the Federal Reserve Bank, stock of counterfeits in the U.S. was estimated at 1 in 80,000 notes, or around $15 million. That’s actually a decline from the one-in-10,000 note estimate from 2006.
“The decline is likely at least partially due to increased circulation of higher-security banknotes as well as increased public education about U.S. dollar banknote security features,” said the research from author Ruth Judson.
Overall, the Federal Reserve Bank estimated that there were 11.1 billion real $20 bills in circulation and 19.2 billion real $100 bills in circulation as of last December. Information about how to spot real cotton and linen blend U.S. currency, including microprinting, raised printing, serial numbers is available through the U.S. Currency Education Program for $20 bills, $100 bills and more. There are also special pens that can help detect counterfeit bills.