Other Voices: It’s worth it to check for counterfeits

A $100 bill remains an extraordinary piece of currency to hold. Even in an age of inflation, a Benjamin still represents some serious dough.
These days, the bill is also a veritable work of art, with various designs, a hologram and textures. Those are there, of course, to make it hard for counterfeiters to work, but it seems locally a few have gotten through to local businesses.
The Powell Police Department has reported three instances of counterfeit $100 bills ending up in the hands of tellers who spotted the fakes in the last two weeks. Unfortunately, the people handing them over to be deposited were people who had been given them as part of a business transaction, meaning these small business owners are now out money.
Thankfully there are ways to avoid getting stuck with a counterfeit bill in the first place. Us.currency.gov offers a number of ways to spot differences.