News

Actions

Counterfeit money being used in Virginia Beach

Posted at 10:01 PM, Mar 09, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-09 22:16:37-05

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Counterfeit money is being used at local businesses. It happened twice at a business on First Colonial Road just a few days apart, according to Virginia Beach Police.

Local business owner, Brandon Whitaker said he's taking extra precautions after it happened at his Newport News location. His family just opened their second Nothing Bundt Cakes location on Laskin Road. Whitaker said after they had counterfeit money, things changed.

"It didn't get caught until we got to the bank. We do have precautions we take," said Whitaker. "It's alarming for that kind of thing to happen."

Virginia Beach Police said there were two cases of counterfeit $20 bills being used at a business in the Hilltop Shopping Plaza. News 3 reached out to the Secret Service to ask about the best way to tell if money is counterfeit. But they said the best way to prevent it from entering your wallet is to take your time since most people don't even look at the money handed to them before putting it away.

Whitaker says they use the pen and check the faces of bills in the light. Their businesses are working on making sure this is done no matter how busy the store can get.

"They all have to be checked off and that's one of the things you have to take your time to look at these bills and do our best not to let it pass," said Whitaker.

The Secret Service says the second way to check for counterfeit money is to feel it. Genuine money isn't made from paper, but cloth and has a distinctive feel. To learn more about genuine money, check out the Secret Service's "Know Your Money" guide.