Counterfeit Currency

The Salisbury Police Department is currently investigating several cases in which counterfeit one hundred (100) dollar bills have been passed at local businesses. In each incident, the counterfeit one hundred (100) dollar bills have been used to buy items of less than ten (10) dollars and the passer receives the change in authentic currency. This has occurred in businesses that are located in the north shopping corridor of Salisbury, including the Centre at Salisbury. The counterfeit one hundred (100) dollar bills have been printed over authentic five (5) dollar bills, which enable the currency to pass when tested by currency detection pens. However, when one holds up the bill you can see that the watermark is Abraham Lincoln, indicating that the bill is a five (5) and not a one hundred (100). The bills also indicate “five” in the authentication strip.

The Salisbury Police are urging any business that receives a one hundred (100) dollar bill to examine the bill against a light source to check the watermark and authentication stripe, rather than merely using an authentication pen.

There are two (2) suspects that have passed these counterfeit bills and they are described as:

White female, 5’09”, 140 pounds, shoulder length curly black hair, wearing a long black coat with a dark red shirt beneath the coat.


Black male, 6’02”, 220 pounds, 35 to 40 years of age, wearing a dark blue jacket with a light blue shirt.

If anyone has any information regarding the above named suspects they are asked to contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3165 or Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776. Information may be provided anonymously.

CC # 201000009358