Key West has recently experienced a rise in fake $20 bills — not typical counterfeits, but movie prop money that has made its way into the registers of unsuspecting businesses. The Key West Police Department has issued a warning, circulating photos of the fake currency, easily identifiable by the phrase "for motion picture purposes" in the place where one would usually read "the United States of America." The department's alert, detailed on NBC Miami, cautions locals to examine their bills.
As highlighted by WSVN, the replicated bills should not be mistaken with real currency, a mistake that could lead to potential legal repercussions. The prop bills, designed with a clear intent for use in the film industry, warn people attempting to use these as real tender that doing so could result in arrest.
In what seems an effort to distill the essence of the issue to its barest form, the Key West Police Department took to their Facebook page, urging the public to "Check your twenties!" They remind residents that these movie props can be deceptive, and pointed out that Andrew Jackson's smirk on the bill is a dead giveaway of its illegitimacy.
Circulated across several outlets, authorities are urging anyone who encounters the bill to take it to a bank for verification. The Key West Police Department stresses the importance of keeping the community aware and cautious. While the counterfeit note features a smirking Andrew Jackson in the shared photos, police are reminding residents to stay alert and carefully distinguish between fake and genuine currency.
