Cheyenne police are warning residents to be on the lookout for counterfeit bills after a fake $50 bill was turned into the department.

Officer Kevin Malatesta says while there hasn't been an uptick in counterfeit bills reported in the area, it is something the department encounters "quite often" and he encourages people to learn how to recognize fake bills.

"On $20, $50 and $100 bills you should see a watermark, it will have an image showing a face if you hold it up to the light," said Malatesta. "That's one thing that's really hard for counterfeiters to fake."

"Another one is the color-shifting ink which is on all the modern bills," he added. "If you look at it in one direction it looks kind of copperish and then if you tilt it, it should look green."

Malatesta says if you receive a fake bill you can call the dispatch center at (307) 637-6525, submit a report online or stop by the police department to initiate a report.

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