CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department on Tuesday advised residents and businesses to be on the lookout for counterfeit US currency being circulated in the city.

In the last week, several new cases of counterfeit US currency being used to pay for goods and services have been reported to the Clearlake Police Department, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph.

Joseph said these latest cases all have involved counterfeit $100 bills.

In at least one of the most recent incidents, a genuine US $5 bill was washed and reprinted to resemble a $100 bill, Joseph said.

Washing is a procedure where the currency’s ink is removed from the genuine bill, then the bill is reprinted to resemble a larger note, chiefly $20 and $100 bills, Joseph explained.

Since the paper on these “washed” bills is genuine US currency, the counterfeit check pen used to check this type of counterfeit currency will always indicate the bill as being genuine, when in fact it may be a counterfeit, he said.

The original presidential watermarks and security strips usually will remain and indicate the actual value of the “washed” currency, according to Joseph.

Joseph said the other form of counterfeit currency police have seen recently has been printed counterfeit currency made by a scan or photocopy of the actually currency.

The paper used in this type counterfeiting process is not genuine and usually a counterfeit check pen will easily identify these types of bills as being counterfeit, Joseph said.

He said the paper will often look and feel odd as compared to genuine US currency and will be missing most if not all of the security features used to help reduce counterfeiting.

Police asked businesses and residents to remain vigilant in helping to identify counterfeit currency before it is accepted as legal tender for services or payment.

Joseph said all cases of counterfeit US currency reported to the Clearlake Police Department are forwarded to the US Secret Service for review.

Anyone with a suspected counterfeit bill or with information as to where these counterfeit bills are originating is asked to contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251.

Callers may remain anonymous.