Convenience store customer uses fake $100 bill

Columbia police are looking for a counterfeiter after a customer used a fake $100 bill at the QuickTrip on Clark Lane.

A woman in her twenties walked into the QuickTrip on Saturday with a $100 bill. She spent $3.98, and the clerk give her change of $98.02. Later, when the bill was deposited into the safe, an employee realized the money was fake.

“We’re certainly seeing more incidence of it, and much of that can be attributed to the advances in technology, more sophisticated copying machines and devices,” said Det. Tom O’Sullivan with Boone County Sheriff’s Department.

I went to the QuickTrip to ask about the suspect and to see if I could take a look at the security footage. The manager declined to comment, but gas stations aren’t the only businesses concerned with customers trying to pass off fake bills.

“If it’s something small that they’re buying, and they have this really big bill — just double check it and just make sure they’re just off watching the customer and making sure they double check the higher bill,” said Jennifer Pestle with Cha Boutique.

Authorities said there are a few ways to spot a fake bill: The portrait should stand out from the background, the size and spacing of the serial number should match other bills and a watermark should be seen when the bill is held up to the light.

“Many of these people that try to pass counterfeit money choose peak times at a particular business. They rely on that clerk wanted to hurry up and just do the transaction and send them on their way,” said O’Sullivan.

Authorities also said that some counterfeiters will try to disguise a $1 bill as a $10 bill or a $100 bill.