In October, CHS encountered two separate incidents where counterfeit $20 bills were identified in the hands of a student. In both instances the students, who are unidentified, were attempting to exchange the fake money for legitimate change. Although any case of counterfeit is cause for concern, CHS Officer Shane VanNatter said that the timing is especially discerning.

“We got the first one and I didn’t think it was going to be that big of a deal,” VanNatter said. “And then we got the second one and I started getting more concerned. After the first I didn’t think we had anything to worry about, but when you get two within one month and you have two counterfeit $20, then it’s an issue.”

According to VanNatter, who is confident that both students were aware that their bills were fake, said there are always telltale signs for counterfeit money. These safeguards, which for $20 bills include the water stamp of Thomas Jefferson’s head and a nylon ribbon that runs across the left side of the bill, will be absent in all copies of fake bills. For the two fraudulent $20s discovered last month, both had been significantly worn and aged by the time they reached CHS, an additional tactic used by counterfeiters to make the bill seem less suspicious.

“They made it look really used, so it had lots of folds and little tears,” VanNatter said. “So if someone looked and thought it was weird they might think ‘well, this is just an old twenty.’ But if you looked closely then there would be no water stamp, no ribbon.”

Students knowingly passing bills missing these crucial elements face punishment from both the school and federal authorities. According to the Secret Service Website, anyone passing bills with “fraudulent intent… is punishable by fine or imprisonment for up to 15 years, or both.” In addition, attempting to use counterfeit money on school grounds is a violation of school rules as well, resulting in the most severe school punishment available, such as expulsion.

In order to prevent these consequences, the Secret Service website includes a list of tips for those who suspect they are receiving fake money. These tips include taking the bill, attempting to delay the counterfeiter, taking his or her description, and ultimately turning the bill in to an identified police officer. VanNatter said that even briefly reviewing the bill could often identify a poor counterfeit job.

“If you’re getting paid in cash or getting bills from students, just take a moment and look at your bill,” VanNatter said. “If you even suspect it’s fraudulent then take the right measures.”