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Big Bend Residents Warned Of Counterfeit Money Circulating Throughout Businesses

fbi.gov

Big Bend-area residents should be on the lookout for counterfeit bills that have been circulating at local businesses throughout the region—Dollar General stores have been particularly hard-hit.

Counterfeit bills have been passed in Leon, Liberty, and Franklin counties. Wakulla County Sheriff’s office spokesman Keith Blackmar says since August, the counterfeit currency has also been in his area, too.

“Well, we’ve had some reports in the region about individuals going into businesses and passing these bleached bills and we’ve had a couple of cases here and so we wanted to make sure we got the word out to the community to be cognizant of this possibility,” said Blackmar.

Blackmar says the scammers are defacing low-value currency and passing those bills off as much more.

“Somebody may be passing a bill that’s $5 or $10 and tries to pass them as $50 or $100 bills,” he added.

Blackmar says anyone—resident or business owner—who suspects they may be in possession of a counterfeit bill should contact the Wakulla County Sheriff’s office immediately. Sheriff’s deputies say they suspect a pair of people may be defacing bills in the area and they’re working with the U.S. Secret Service to learn more.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on twitter @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.