Businesses on high alert; police warn of fake money scheme

OLIVE HILL, Ky. (WSAZ) - Investigators are warning businesses to be aware of a counterfeit money scheme.

Olive Hill police say three suspects are involved in a scheme where they’ve gone into businesses and used $500 worth of fake $20 bills to purchase pre-paid credit cards.

Police say the Secret Service and KSP are assisting in the investigation.

They say this particular fake money has been used in Cincinnati on Friday, as well as at two stores in Morehead on Sunday and two stores in Carter County on Sunday.

“These are some really good counterfeit copies, they’re a lot harder to tell from the ones we’ve been getting. Some were movie props, some you can order off of some other websites, but these are actually decent counterfeit copies,” Olive Hill Police Chief Bruce Palmer said.

Police say the scheme was attempted at a store in Olive Hill around 8:30 Sunday night, but the store was able to determine the money was counterfeit.

Ever since this incident happened, employees from surrounding businesses are staying on high alert.

“Since this incident happened so close to us, we’ve actually started checking almost every single bill that we get in,” April Newell, an employee at Clark’s Pump N’ Shop, said.

They are sharing pictures of the suspects and the counterfeit money, which they say uses the same serial number.

Anyone who recognizes the suspects is asked to call Olive Hill police or Kentucky State Police.

Police say it’s believed the suspects were heading toward Huntington.

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