Fake Money, Real Problem

PALMER- Twenty-four cases of counterfeit currency have been reported by Palmer Police Department, Wasilla Police Department and Alaska State Troopers in 2018. Law enforcement authorities deal with counterfeiting constantly, but the recent uptick in counterfeiting is unusual.

Nineteen cases have been reported by WPD between Jan. 9 and March 16. PPD reported use on Jan. 9 of a counterfeit note on Dec 27. at Carrs-Safeway. AST reported four cases in the Butte, Palmer and Wasilla between Jan. 18 and March 26.

“We’ve noticed an uptick in the last two years. There’s always counterfeit bills that come through. This year and last year we noticed a significant increase,” said Amanda Graham, WPD Spokeswoman.

Authorities say that perpetrators often use large counterfeit bills for small purchases to get large sums of real bills back in return in a process called “changing.” Some counterfeit processes are close as far as the image goes, but are printed on low quality paper. Skilled printers can use a $1 note and bleach it to laser print a larger bill on the parchment paper so it feels real.

“That should raise suspicion. We never want anyone to place themselves in jeopardy, but refusal of the bill, and a physical description without creating any perilous situation helps.

Get the vehicle they were driving, the license plates, and call it into the police department or Secret Service Anchorage,” said Robert Kierstead of the Seattle Secret Service.

When police encounter a fake bill, they turn it over to Secret Service which has greater resources for investigating the counterfeit notes. The Secret Service constantly investigates counterfeits, credit card fraud, financial fraud and cyber crimes.

“What we’re seeing is foreign text on it in red that says ‘for tourism purposes only’ on some. Some of those have the president’s head but the nose is wrong and say ‘for motion picture use only,’” said Graham.

Kierstead said that a large influx of counterfeits in the late 1990’s was done by skilled printers with available printing presses called offsetting.

“In that process the image of the note of the currency was actually stamped or printed on an offset machine,” said Kierstead.

The bulk of counterfeits recently is done by inkjet printers or copy machines, resulting in a lower quality fake. Bleached bills are harder to detect because they feel real.

“On that note it is going to have some of the security features, the blue and red fibers, polyester ribbons or threads going through the bills. If somebody’s paying attention, the number in polyester strip should match denomination in the corners. Our goal is always going to be the suppression of the counterfeiting and when we can, determine who was printing,” said Kierstead.

Counterfeiting is a federal offense. Federal statute 18 US Code 472 is uttering counterfeit, 473 dealing in counterfeit is for those who broker transactions, and 474 is manufacturing counterfeit. All charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,00. Counterfeiters are almost exclusively printing large denominations: $20, $50, and $100 notes. Merchants and retailers are urged to call crime stoppers at 745-3333 or AST dispatch at 352-5401, www.secretservice.gov, which has a wealth of information on how to detect a counterfeit.

In 2017, Abikhalid Hussein was indicted at Ted Stevens International Airport attempting to pay for a flight with six counterfeit $100 bills. Kierstead said the charges for counterfeiters vary on aggravating and mitigating circumstances, but that those who carry out the counterfeiting operations are who the authorities are after. In 2014, Eugene David Downey was caught passing counterfeit bills in Anchorage. Downey was also charged with forgery in 2013.

He was sentenced to 30 months in prison.