LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department is urging merchants and the community at large to be on guard in response to a recent increase in counterfeit bills being passed to local businesses.

In a Monday report Sgt. Nick Bennett said that recently there have been numerous instances of counterfeit currencies being passed to local business within the city of Clearlake.

These bills have been in the form of $100, $20 and $10 denominations, Bennett explained.

Some are poorly made, but Bennett said many are very sophisticated and difficult to detect.

Bennett said the department is reminding both merchants and citizens to be cautious when taking currency from another person.

While a person might not realize the currency that is being passed is counterfeit, the one taking the counterfeit bill will ultimately be out the money when he or she passes it on and it is discovered to be counterfeit, according to Bennett.

The Clearlake Police Department has obtained pamphlets to help in identifying counterfeit bills and distributed them to businesses throughout the city, Bennett said.

Should a citizen come in contact with currency suspected of being counterfeit, that bill should be taken to a bank or a local retailer for verification, said Bennett.