TITUSVILLE, Fla. — Phony money circulating in northern Brevard County is fooling businesses, and they want everyone to be aware.
- Fake money found at local businesses
- Appears to be movie prop money
- Feels like the real thing
The money appears to be prop money for movies, which can be bought online.
"Honestly when you feel it, you can't tell it's different," said LG Donovan, who owns the Irish Pub and Eatery in Titusville.
Donovan says a fellow bar owner in Port St. John alerted him after taking a fake $5 bill last week.
Both have handled cash as part of the jobs for a really long time.
"I've counted a lot of money in my years," Donovan said.
But even he and his employees were fooled at first. Half of his bartenders thought it was real. But employees need to take a closer look.
"In the... left-hand corner it says 'replica'," said Donovan. "Other than that it feels like a $5 bill."
On the left side, there's a line that reads "This note is not legal it is to be used in motion pictures." Under a Secretary of the Treasury signature it says "Not a real secretary."
And underneath President Lincoln's picture, it says "This is a replica."
Still, Donovan is concerned the phony money is getting mixed in with real cash at other businesses in Cocoa, Port St. John and Titusville.
Titusville Police has one report from June 13 of a man trying to pass a fake $100 bill at the McDonald's on U.S. 1, less than a mile from the pub.
Investigators say the manager took the bill, and the man paid with real cash.
"They are going in 20's, 100's, and 10 dollars," Donovan said. "Everyone is collecting them."
He hopes all businesses and customers take time to examine their cash to make sure it's not "movie money."
"Five dollars adds up, doesn't take many of these before it hurts our business," he said.
If you find any of the fake money, contact Titusville Police.