The Granite Falls Police Department warns citizens about a scam occurring on Facebook Marketplace. Individuals are using counterfeit or prop money for purchases. Prop money is fake currency that looks and feels like real money on camera.

Granite Falls Police advise residents, when dealing with cash transactions, to carefully examine the currency for authenticity. Look for words like “prop” or “replica” on the bills. Residents are also urged to ensure that the serial numbers are not identical, as genuine U.S. currency will have unique serial numbers.

Officials say you can avoid becoming a victim of prop money by immediately looking at the currency when you receive it. When possible, check all currency with a counterfeit detector pen. Look for Chinese characters or foreign writing on the front and back of the bill.

Police say that it’s not illegal to possess prop money, but it is illegal to pass this fake money along as the real thing. That is a felony and could lead to jail time and even federal charges. If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam you can call Attorney General Josh Stein’s consumer hotline toll free within North Carolina at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or (919) 716-6000.