Downtown Iowa City sees influx of counterfeit money

Hunter
03/21/23

Iowa City Police say they’ve had over a half-dozen reports of counterfeit money being circulated in the downtown area over the last six months.

The Daily Iowan reports that some business owners are taking note of the use of counterfeit $50 bills and are no longer accepting larger bills.

Iowa City Public Safety Information Officer Lee Hermiston wrote in an email to the paper that they’ve logged seven instances since late 2022, and suspects there have been additional incidents. He recommends downtown Iowa City businesses refrain from accepting bills larger than $20.

Wendy Ford is economic development coordinator for the city of Iowa City. She recommends business owners educate employees who are taking cash to know what to look for, and to contact police for training on how to spot counterfeit bills.