DSBA warns of counterfeiting

SANDPOINT — The Downtown Sandpoint Business Association is warning merchants of a counterfeiting scam involving $1 bills doctored to look like $100 bills.

A suspect has apparently been washing $1 bills and then printing images of a $100 bill on the note. Counterfeit money detector pens won’t reveal the bills as bogus because the paper is authentic.

However, the DSBA points out, if a suspect bill is held up to a light source, its true denomination can be discerned.

A suspect who has been passing them is described as a Caucasian male between the ages of 17 and 22. He has blonde hair and wears a black hooded sweatshirt.

The DSBA said the suspect has been making small purchases of just a few dollars in order to receive a substantial amount of change.

It’s not clear how many of the bills have been passed.

Interim Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon and DSBA officials did not respond to requests for comment.