BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) – A local business recently received counterfeit money. We spoke with the restaurant owner and learned how this impacts his business.
Little Greek Fresh Grill in Boardman recently received a counterfeit $100 bill.
Owner George Campos discovered it while putting in a bank deposit on Monday. The bank suspected it was counterfeit.
“When they verified that it was counterfeit, they did not let me deposit the $100 bill,” Campos said.
Campos says being a small business owner, he relies on every deposit, especially during times of inflation.
“The cost of fuel, the cost of deliveries, the cost of food going up, and not being able to deposit money is very frustrating,” he said.
Campos explains that it is time-consuming for a business to have to sort through fake money.
“Sitting there and trying to mark which bills might be possible counterfeit bills on the serving line holds up service and just hinders the operation overall 100 percent,” he said.
The Secret Service shares that a big giveaway of fake money is how the watermark appears in the light. A bill’s security threads glow different colors depending on its kind.
The Secret Service says the 3D security ribbon is a blue ribbon woven into the paper. Also, make sure the security numbers are evenly spaced out and in a row.
Little Greek Fresh Grill wants to bring awareness about counterfeit money to other businesses and the community.
“Hopefully bring light to the situation and crack down on the individuals that are doing this in the area,” Campos said.
Campos says Little Greek Fresh Grill will no longer be accepting $100 bills.