Close to $3 million in counterfeit cash has been passed in Las Vegas in the last year.
Action News asked the Secret Service why the problem is so bad and what they are doing about it.
Printing American money is one of the more complicated and secure processes.
But that does not keep the crooks from trying to duplicate it.
According to Rick Shields with the Secret Service, "In Las Vegas here, we average anywhere from $35,000 to $80,000 a week".
That is how much counterfeit cash is poured into the Las Vegas economy.
"The reason the increase in counterfeit currency is happening is because of technology nowadays", Shields says.
Ten years ago, only 1% of counterfeit was made by digital technology.
Today, that number is well over 50%, which makes it much more difficult for those who handle money.
Secret Service agents teach cash handlers to look for three basic things:
- a watermark
- color-shifting ink on the bottom right side of the bill
- security threads woven into the paper
These are just a few of the basics for those on the front lines, charged with protecting the economy from counterfeit cash.
Secret Service agents tell Action News the hardest thing to duplicate is the paper. It is made at a paper factory in Massachusetts.
And those who handle money a lot get a better feel for what is real and what is not.
Keep it tuned to Channel 13 Action News for the latest on this story.
