Northwest Iowa — Another community here in northwest Iowa is reporting the appearance of counterfeit cash.
Le Mars is the latest community to join the list of area towns that have seen bogus bills passed in recent days. Fakes have also turned up recently in Spencer, and Storm Lake, as well as in the small Palo Alto County town of Graettinger.
Le Mars Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte says everyone should know some key ways to distinguish real from fake currency.
One of the recent incidents in Le Mars involved a fake 50-dollar bill, which was clearly a counterfeit, while the other case involved a 100-dollar bill that was marked “For Motion Picture Use Only.” Unfortunately, Vande Vegte says, that movie currency looks realistic and is readily available over the internet. The chief says anyone who handles money should keep a sharp eye out for the counterfeits.
He says magic marker-style pens that are made specifically for checking the authenticity of bills are a must for any business that takes in a lot of big bills.
Chief Vande Vegte says he believes the two recent cases in Le Mars are NOT connected, since the types of fake cash passed were so different.
