SPD offers tips on spotting bogus bills

SANDPOINT — Sandpoint Police are offering tips on spotting counterfeit bills after two were reportedly passed to businesses earlier this month.

Captain Rick Bailey said many businesses have ink pens which can be used to detect counterfeit bank notes, although there are a number of security features embedded in legitimate currency.

One is a three-dimensional security ribbon woven into bills. While examining the broken blue strip in the center of the note, bells printed on the ribbon change to 100s. When the note is rotated, the bells and 100s move up and down and side to side.

The trick is, the bells and 100s should move in the opposite direction from the way the bill is being rotated, Bailey said.

Legitimate currency also has color-shifting ink, which shifts the denomination from copper to green as the note is moved. There are also portrait watermarks on 100 bills, according to Bailey.

When the note note is held to a light, a faint outline image of Benjamin Franklin appears in the blank space between the upper (small) and lower large 100 on the right-hand side of the bill, which partially overlaps the U.S. Treasury seal, Bailey noted.

There are also security threads embedded vertically to the left of Franklin's portrait and raised printing on left side of the note, according to Bailey. There is also microprinting which reads "United State of America" on the collar of Franklin's jacket, right below his neck-scarf.

Mr. Sub in Sandpoint reported receiving a bogus $100 bill earlier this week. At least one other counterfeit bill was also passed this month, although the business which received it was not disclosed.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and followed on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.