Fake $100 Bills Circulating In New York State

You've probably noticed that many area businesses are no longer accepting $100 bills.  Some fast food restaurants and convenient stores won't even take any bills larger than a $20.

Some communities in Western New York are now reporting a new batch of fake $100 bills.  According to WHAM-TV in Rochester, $1 bills are being converted into the phony $100 bills.  They say counterfeiters are "washing" the $1 bills and then printing $100 bills on top of them.   Apparently, this process uses real fabric and makes the counterfeit detecting pens useless.

To check a bill, holders can tilt it to see if the ink on the numbers in the right corner changes color.  New notes should change from a copper to green color.   Also, color changing bells and a 3-D security ribbon should appear on a real $100 bill when tilted.