Alert: Fake $100 Bills Found Throughout the Hudson Valley

Check your money. Police say that fake currency has been found throughout our area.

According to Mid Hudson News police confirm that there have been at least three recent incidents of fake $100 bills being passed around the Hudson Valley over the past week. The Dutchess County Sheriff's identified fake bills in LaGrange, Beekman and Pawling.

WikiHow gives four tips that can help you identify counterfeit money just by looking at it.

1. Feel the texture of the paper. Counterfeit money will usually feel different than real money, which is made from cotton fibers and not regular paper.
2. Check the thickness of the bill. Real money is made under extreme pressure which causes the paper to be extremely thin. Most counterfeit bills are printed on thicker paper.
3. Compare your bill with another. Sometimes holding two bills up to each other will make it easy to see subtle differences that indicate your bill may be counterfeit.
4. Look at the printing quality. The process of printing real currency is a guarded secret, so counterfeiters rely on other methods that don't always achieve the same quality results.

If you believe that you have a counterfeit bill, you should contact local law enforcement immediately. The Dutchess County Sheriff's office does not suggest confronting someone who passes you money that you suspect is fake. Instead, they advise making note of the person's appearance, license plate or other identifying details and calling the proper authorities to investigate.