July 14, 2025

The Motor Vehicle Investigations Unit (MVIU) received information about monetary transactions involving people passing counterfeit movie prop currency instead of real U.S. currency.

The casino industry in Colorado has reported numerous incidents where these counterfeit bills have been passed as real currency. It is likely that this "funny money" will also be used to pay for vehicle registration fees, driver license fees, or other cash transactions, given its presence in casinos and other businesses that handle a high volume of cash.

COUNTY PARTNERS ARE ADVISED TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO AVOID ACCEPTING PROP MONEY: 

Employees should learn to identify movie prop currency by looking for “For Motion Picture Use Only” text and other distinguishing features listed below. Enhanced screening procedures should be implemented when cash is being handled.

1. Text markings: The movie prop bills have the phrase, “For Motion Picture Use Only” on both the front and back. The font size and placement of this marking may vary, but it is generally conspicuous.
2. Texture: The movie prop bills often feel smoother and lighter than authentic US currency, which has a distinct, tactile feel due to its unique paper composition.
3. Color and Printing quality: While the overall design mimics genuine bills, the colors may appear slightly faded and the printing quality is often lower with some details appearing blurred upon close inspection.
4. Serial Numbers: The serial numbers on the movie prop bills are often repeated across multiple bills, which is inconsistent with authentic currency, where each note has a unique number.
5. Additional Markings: Some movie prop bills may include the text “this is a replica” or display the vendor’s name that produced or sold the prop money.

Please Note: Not all of the above identifiers may be present on a counterfeit bill. The presence of one or more of these characteristics may indicate the bill is fake.

STEPS TO TAKE IF PROP MONEY IS IDENTIFIED:

If someone attempts to pay their fees with counterfeit money, it should be reported to local law enforcement and a request for investigation should be submitted as suspected fraud. It is possible the customer unwittingly is passing suspected fake currency.

EXAMPLES OF MOVIE PROP BILLS: