Merchants on alert after counterfeit $100 bills turn up in Fuquay-Varina

The counterfeit money was passed at the Walgreens drugstore, located at 1401 N. Main St. in Fuquay-Varina, in recent weeks, and authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Salim Jackson, 32.

He is facing several charges, including identity theft and possession of five counterfeit bills, according to the court document.

Police say the money isn't fake, but is a smaller bill that has been washed, perhaps in a washing machine.

Authorities say the currency is then placed in a dryer before being wrinkled in order to pass it off as a larger bill.

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According to the search warrants, the suspect tried to use eight fake $100 bills at the Walgreens. 

A worker called police after the suspect left the store after noticing there was something improper about the money.

Merchants in Fuquay-Varina say they have heard of fake $20 bills being passed among local businesses, so many of them have started using money marker pens that shows up in a different color if the money is counterfeit.

The pens won't work on the bogus bucks because they are still legitimate currency -- just not in the amount represented on the money.

According to the warrant, a detective said the $1 markers were faintly noticeable on the bills that now purport to be $100.

That has raised alarms among some business owners.

"The impact on us would be great," said Kelly Burnett, who manages Chocolate Fix. "We're a small business. So, if $100 comes in, that impacts my family."

Police say businesses should inspect the ink closely on the currency to make sure it's not blurry.