DURANGO, Colo. — Something funny is happening in Durango, but no one is laughing.
Counterfeit bills are circulating at a business in southwest Colorado. The city said in a release: Since the beginning of this year, we have received seven reports of counterfeit bills being used. Most of the reports of counterfeit money come from locations in North Maine.
The city says the charges range from $10 to $100. The invoice said “movie only”, “copy”, “movie”, and “prop use only”.
The note said, “This note is not legal tender. It is for movie use only.”
Credit: City of Durango
The city said it would have been able to detect the fakes if it had a counterfeit detector pen. They say people who handle money on a daily basis need to relearn the security features they should look for.
There are severe penalties for creating, using, or trading in counterfeit banknotes. If convicted at the federal level, a judge could sentence up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In Colorado, convicted counterfeiters can be sentenced to up to three years in prison and fined up to $100,000.
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