Counterfeit money, while still amounting to less than one percent of U.S. currency in circulation, is growing more prevalent. Forgers are using home computers and other common technology to manufacture convincing counterfeit folding money. According to USA Today, there has been a steady rise in counterfeiting in the US since the late 90’s.

If you suspect you’ve been given counterfeit money, compare the bills with a genuine bill of the same denomination and series. Compare the texture, quality and feel of the paper. Look at the printing on each bill and hunt for differences –not similarities. The portrait on a real bill looks lifelike and distinct. It should stand out from the background. A counterfeit bill will lack dimension and look flat and lifeless. The background is commonly dark and indistinct. Compare the Federal Reserve and Treasury Seals. On a real bill, the saw-tooth points of the seals are sharp and clear. A fake bill will have uneven, blunt or disconnected points. Check the serial numbers. Real serial numbers have a recognizable style and are evenly spaced. The serial numbers should be printed in the same color as the Treasury Seal. On a counterfeit bill the serial numbers may not be uniformly spaced or lined up correctly, or they might have a different color of ink than the Treasury Seal. Examine the border. The fine lines in the border of real money are unbroken and distinct. On fake money they might be blurred and unclear. Genuine folding money has tiny red and blue fibers embedded throughout the paper. Forgers try and mimic these fibers by printing similar blue and red lines on the paper.

If you receive counterfeit money, these are the steps you should follow.

Fist, examine the money closely for the indicators detailed above. Be quick but thorough. If you are convinced you have received fake money, do not return it to the person who gave it to you. That person might seem nervous, angry or agitated, but do not pass the money back.

Delay the person who gave it to you. If you are operating a bar, have your bouncer or security personnel detain the person. If you don’t have security, try whatever you can to keep the person from fleeing. Carefully observe the person’s appearance as well as any of the person’s companions, making note of distinctions like eye color, approximate and visible tattoos. If you can, write down the person’s license plate number.

Contact your local police department or the nearest United States Secret Service field office. The Secret Service handles cases of counterfeiting among its other responsibilities. Write your initials and the date on the white border of the suspected fake bill, but try to touch the bill as little as possible. Investigators will likely want to check the bill for the forger’s fingerprints. Put the bill in a plastic bag or envelope to protect it.

Once the authorities arrive, give the bill only to a properly identified police officer or United States Secret Service special agent.