Bogus $20 bills circling in CT

(WTNH) - Police are searching for suspects who have attempted to use counterfeit money at stores in Lisbon, Sterling and Killingly.

State police in Danielson are warning merchants to look out for counterfeit twenty-dollar bills being passed around in the area. State police say the batch of counterfeit bills are twenties which may look legit from the front, but the back is faded, and all of them have the same serial number CB20003000D.

"It might be scary though to confront someone who's trying to pass a fake bill. Sometimes that is. But any convenience store you work in, any kind of business you work in, you have to be more bold than scared," said Lori Ashmore of Sunnyside Farms in Danielson.

Ashmore uses a special pen to detect counterfeit money.

"We check with the counterfeit pen, and then we also check for the magnetic strip, and we also check for the hologram," said Sherrie Perez of Sunnyside Farms.

At Killingly Commons  four counterfeit twenty-dollar bills were found. Further investigation resulted in the seizure of five more counterfeit twenty-dollar bills in Sterling.

An employee of Crystal's Hallmark also uses counterfeit pens to detect fake bills. She said that on Wednesday night someone tried to use a phony American Express travelers check.

"From past experience I knew to call American Express right away for an 800 number, and when I said I was going to go into the back to get the number, she said she had cash in the car, disappeared, and never came back," said Marcia McCarraher of Crystal's Hallmark.

Police, banks, and merchants are spreading the word.

"It seems to be because we're a mall, they can catch many merchants at the same time," said McCarraher.

Police said several suspects have been identified and they are asking anyone with information to call 860-779-3900.