Who should you contact if you suspect you have been given counterfeit currency?

Contact your local police department or United States Secret Service field office. These numbers can be found on the inside front page of your local telephone directory. Write your initials and the date in the white border areas of the suspect note. Limit the handling of the note.

What should I do if I suspect counterfeit money?

Contact your local police department or call your local U.S. Secret Service Office. Write your initials and date in the white border area of the suspected counterfeit note. Do not handle the counterfeit note. Place it inside a protective cover such as a plastic bag or envelope to protect it.

What are 3 things you should do if you suspect you have received counterfeit currency?

Contact your local police department OR call your local U.S. Secret Service Office. Write your initials and date in the white border area of the suspected counterfeit note. DO NOT handle the counterfeit note.

Who investigates counterfeit money?

The U.S. Secret Service
The U.S. Secret Service has a long and storied history of safeguarding America’s financial and payment systems from criminal exploitation. The agency was created in 1865 to combat the rise of counterfeit currency following the Civil War.

What happens if you accidentally deposit counterfeit money?

Depositing counterfeit money into a bank account is illegal, even if you do not know it is illegal. However, a court would have to prove intent to defraud the bank. Money passes hands every day, so unless you knew the money was counterfeit, you probably would not go to jail.

Do fake bills work in vending machines?

Digital vending machines are so able to read and accept money with the help of a magnetic head that reads the ink on a dollar bill. Good quality fake bills can closely resemble the real ones and the electronic sensors on slot machines may not be able to catch the difference.

Will ATM detect fake money?

It is against the law to deposit counterfeit money, whether it is via the teller, or via an ATM. They will discover it, and be able to trace it back to you (that’s easily than you think). You will be charged with passing counterfeit bills.

Where do I go to report counterfeit money?

If you live outside the United States and want to report counterfeit currency, you should notify the U.S. Secret Service field office in your region. The Law Enforcement section of our currency education website, offers contact information for U.S. Secret Service field offices around the world.

What to do if you get a counterfeit dollar bill?

The U.S. Department of Treasury advises that, if you received counterfeit currency bills, contact your local police department or your local US secret service office. Here are their guidelines, taken from their website: For your personal safety…

Is it illegal to exchange a counterfeit note for a genuine one?

A counterfeit note cannot be exchanged for a genuine one, and it is illegal to knowingly pass counterfeit currency. If you live in the United States and you think you’ve received a counterfeit note, immediately notify the local police.

Is the Secret Service looking for counterfeit money?

Banking officials and Secret Service employees are always on the lookout for counterfeit currency. Over the past decade, the Secret Service has seized approximately 90 percent of all known counterfeit currency printed before it reached circulation. However, detecting counterfeit currency should not be the responsibility of officials alone.