Ring Suspected of Passing Fake Money

U.S. Secret Service officials are investigating more than 50 cases in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties in which counterfeit $100 bills were used to buy items ranging from fast food to craft supplies.

A majority of the cases have occurred in the last three weeks in Ventura County, and targeted merchants included toy and clothing stores, eateries and sports shops, authorities said. A large ring of people is suspected of being involved.

“Some of this happens every year about this time, because these people like to take advantage of the holidays and the rush of people,” said Bill Giles, the acting agent-in-charge of the Secret Service’s Ventura County office.

Giles said the fake money appears to have been produced by counterfeiters in Colombia, because it looks and feels similar to bogus cash manufactured there and circulated in California in the past.

County and federal authorities believe that some of the people who are using the counterfeit bills live in the Central Coast area, and others have come to California from South America to shop and spend both real and fake money.

The counterfeit bills have been printed on high-quality paper but lack most security features and contain inaccuracies, including the words “USA 100” on Benjamin Franklin’s jacket instead of within the numeral 100 in the bill’s lower left corner.

Santa Barbara police, who are investigating at least four cases, went door-to-door to merchants in that city last week, handing out fliers on how to spot the fake bills.

At least two arrests have been made in Ventura County, but Giles and local law enforcement officials declined to discuss specifics of those cases because of the ongoing investigation. Santa Barbara police said they also have a suspect.

U.S. Secret Service agents in Bogota are working with Colombian authorities to investigate the source of the bills.

The number of cases in the area this holiday season is about the same as in past seasons, Giles said.

Anyone with information or merchants who need help spotting counterfeit bills are asked to call Santa Barbara Police Sgt. Dave Whitham at 897-2300.