"Counterfeit" money being passed in the local community

[David]

Nationwide, businesses are experiencing an increase in individuals attempting to pass counterfeit $100 bills. Local jurisdictions, including the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, are investigating several cases where multiple individuals have used, or attempted to use, fraudulent $100 bills.

The public should be on the lookout for counterfeit money being used within the community. The fake money looks very similar to real currency but has the phrase “For Cinematic use ONLY” on the back and “For Motion Picture Use ONLY’ on the front.

Local businesses and residents are urged to inspect any bills they receive. If you believe you have counterfeit money, please call the Sheriff’s Office at 301-475-8008. A sample image of the counterfeit bills, as described above, is attached for your reference.

Do people really need to be warned not to accept currency like the ones pictured here? The only thing missing from the bills is a picture of George Clooney instead of Ben Franklin. If I was a cop and I was called to a store where the merchant told me he accepted these bills thinking they were real, I would turn around and walk out.

 

[wubbles]

That is stupidly realistic at first glance for a theater "fun buck."

 

[BernieP]

Since they are marked “For Cinematic use ONLY” technically they are not counterfeit.
It's no different than Monopoly money. Well.... I guess I can believe people are "lazy" enough to accept the crazy cash.
I'm sure it's illegal, but counterfeit it is not. I don't think Treasury agents are gong to arrest them for trying to pass phony US currency.

 

[Goldenhawk]

Since they are marked “For Cinematic use ONLY” technically they are not counterfeit.

I'm not so sure they're legitimately "not counterfeit". The US Bureau of Engraving and Printing website points out that US Code says the following about money lookalikes. Read it how you wish, but I think that what the original post is describing in fact violates the first two aspects of the following rules:

Currency Image Use -- Reproducing Color Illustrations of U.S. Currency

Federal law permits color illustrations of U.S. currency only under the following conditions:

Currency reproduction dimensions
- the illustration is of a size less than three-fourths or more than one and one-half, in linear dimension, of each part of the item illustrated;
- the illustration is one-sided; and
- all negatives, plates, positives, digitized storage medium, graphic files, magnetic medium, optical storage devices and any other thing used in the making of the illustration that contain an image of the illustration or any part thereof are destroyed and/or deleted or erased after their final use.
18 U.S.C. § 504(1), 31 CFR § 411.1.

Here's an interesting story about this cinematic fake money. It's somewhat controversial, especially with the Secret Service (which is responsible for enforcing counterfeiting laws):
http://priceonomics.com/the-business-of-fake-hollywood-money/

 

[BOP]

 

[bilbur]

Unfortunately people not paying attention probably have accepted these thinking they were real and they probably lost their jobs because of this. The previous posts are correct, there is no way anyone should accept these bills as real and all cashiers should be trained to verify anything over $10 but I hate to see someone who makes an effort and has a job loose that job because of a lowlife without a job. My dad used to get mad when a cashier would scrutinize the money he just gave them, he would think it was because they think he doesn't look trustworthy. He was used to the way things were in this county 20 years ago and everyone trusted everyone. I would tell him that no one can be trusted now because too many people will try and take advantage if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[kom526]

JFC - The cashiers at McKays run the counterfeit pen across my twenties.

 

[ginwoman]

that's what I was thinking