ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) - Elizabethtown Police say they have had several counterfeit bills reported over the last several days, and they're turning up in businesses, restaurants and retail stores.

Police say the fake money will run its course if not spotted and turned in.

"There is anywhere between $70 and $200 million dollars in counterfeit currency in circulation," Elizabethtown Police officer John Thomas said. "Counterfeit currency is always out and about and folks need to be aware of that."

Counterfeit bills can come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the bills confiscated in Elizabethtown were bleached to used the face of a $100 bill on a $20.

That can easily be detected by following three easy steps police are offering:

  1. Pay attention to the surface of the bill. Real money has raised letters and numbers, whereas counterfeits feel smooth.
  2. Hold the bill to a light. If it's real money, the face in the center will appear on the side as well.
  3. Tilt the bill back and forth. As long as it's not fake, a symbol will change from green to copper.

Police say these steps can help stop the fake money, and the criminals passing it around.

"You're going to get caught," Thomas said. "People who do this are eventually going to get caught. It's a law of averages."

For more information on how to spot counterfeit money, go to secretservice.gov.

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