NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Be weary of $100 bills because counterfeiters have converted some of them from $5 bills, New Smyrna Beach police warn.
"It's easier to pass counterfeit currency, not necessarily dollar bills, during this season (be)cause people are in a hurry to spend money,” said police Detective Tony Ford. “The cashiers are in a hurry to take money. They're not examining it as closely as they should be."
Ford said police have confiscated several $100 bills they said were actually $5 each before counterfeiters converted them with the Ben Franklin likeness. The clues to fakes include smearing watermarks and serial numbers that don't exactly match.
The converted fakes are not easy to spot with a marker because the real amount is washed away, police said.
Orange City police confiscated phony $100 bills as well.