BLACKSBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – Hundreds of dollars in counterfeit bills are being used at stores in the Upstate. Multiple police departments say people, and local businesses, need to be on the lookout.

“Just in Blacksburg, we’ve got $750 of counterfeit, 50-dollar bills,” said Lt. Brian Mullinax.

“I think it’s right at $300,” said Officer Jawarski Shelton. “When looking at these bills, you could tell the way they were cut, the texture of the bill and the thickness of the paper.”

The Cowpens and Blacksburg Police Departments are working together to try and find people using the fake money at stores.

“We both put out posts on Facebook about counterfeit bills and they contacted us about having the same information,” said Shelton. “So, we got together and collaborated a little bit and found out the same suspects in our case are the same ones in their case.”

Shelton, with Cowpens Police Department, said they have three suspects. The Blacksburg Police Department said two of those suspects were also seen on the surveillance tapes at their Dollar General.

“A skinny white male and then a heavier set black male that looks like he may have dreads,” said Mullinax. “The white male has a short, crew cut hair with a goatee.”

Two incidents happened in Cowpens on April 20. The first one Officer Shelton said was at Family Dollar and the second at Dollar General.

Blacksburg’s case at their Dollar General happened on April 21st.

Mullinax said the men gave the store 15, fake 50-dollar-bills to put on a Cash-App card.

“They took the money and when they went to make their deposit at the local bank, the bank’s actually the one that caught the counterfeit money,” he said.

Law enforcement said one way to spot a fake bill is to take a close look. Real money will have red or blue fibers in the paper.

Another way is to make a mark on the money with a special pen. If the mark is yellow, the money is real, and if the mark is black, it’s fake.

Mullinax said the pen trick usually works.

“What’s unique about the money, is that they can check it with a pen, and it checks good with a pen. So, the clerk thinks they’re getting actual 50-dollar bills, but the bank’s actually the one that found it counterfeit,” he said.

Law enforcement is urging the community to be on the look out, because you’re actually out of money if it’s fake.

“Just be vigilant on the currency that you take, whether it’s a 50-dollar bill, 20-dollar bill, or a 100-dollar-bill,” said Shelton.

“If you see somebody coming in with a large amount of money, trying to spend it, by all means be cautious. If you think it’s suspicious, call us,” said Mullinax.

Mullinax says the bank gave the fake bills over to the Department of Treasury and they are reaching out to other counties in the Upstate to see if they’re also dealing with counterfeits.