By STEVEN CALHOUN/Staff Writer

The Clanton Police Department has recently recovered counterfeit money.

According to Chief Keith Maddox, an officer responded to a local store that refused to accept a $100 bill.

Maddox said the man attempting to pay the store told officers that he had been paid multiple fake $100 bills in a large transaction and did not realize they were fake until he tried to use them.

“If you just glance at it, it’s pretty realistic looking,” Maddox said.

Captain Neil Fetner believes some of the bills found recently are designed for use on a movie set. The money is otherwise fairly convincing, but has logographic Asian writing printed on the front and back of the bill.

“[Fake money] seems to be getting more and more prevalent,” Maddox said. “If we encounter actual counterfeit money, we’ll hand it over to the U.S. Treasury.”

Maddox urged the public to be aware that counterfeit bills might be in circulation. There are security features in real currency such as paper quality, watermarks and color-shifting ink that can help spot a fake bill.

If a bill is obviously fake and found lying around, it might not be a cause for concern.

“If it’s presented to somebody as money, then it’s actually counterfeit money. But if it’s just lying around … it’s not really counterfeit money because it’s almost like play money. It’s all in how it’s presented or distributed,” Maddox said.

Report any attempted transactions with counterfeit money to the CPD at 755-1120.