Counterfeit $10, $20 and $100 Bills Passed in Du Quoin

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Du Quoin Police Department Chief Mike Ward said Monday his department has turned over several counterfeit $10, $20 and $100 bills to he U.S. Secret Service which have turned up at places like Casey's, Hardee's and the west side Shell station over the past three weeks.

"The bills are decent quality," said Ward. Most of the bills were able to pass through cashier's hands and make it to the local banks before they were discovered," said Ward.

The easiest way to identify counterfeit money is to look for the security thread that is laminated between the layers of paper. You can see the thread by holding the bill up to the light. Most stores also have Accu-check pens which will tell the cashier whether the bill is genuine or not. If you receive a counterfeit bill, contact police at 542-2131 as soon as possible.

Chief Ward said the bills are probably being distributed by someone not from this area