There has been another report of “movie prop” money being passed in the Valley.

Boardman Police are investigating after four phony bills were accepted at the Fields of Dreams community baseball complex on McClurg Road late last week.

Two phony $20 bills were used to pay the $5 admission fee to games on Friday, making it likely that whoever handed over the bogus bills received $15 in real money.  Two more bills were also accepted for payment at the concession stand.

It wasn’t until later that it was discovered the fake bills had the words “Motion Picture Purposes” printed in the upper right-hand corner.

After reviewing the security video, police have the make, model, and license number of a vehicle driven by a person of interest who may have passed the money on Saturday.

Warren Police are investigating after a $50 movie prop bill was used last month to pay an automotive repair bill.

The use of “Movie Money” counterfeit has been widespread in the U.S. for years and periodically pops up here in the Valley.

After getting a complaint, a patrol officer will hand the case off to an investigator. The officer will collect evidence, such as security video or witnesses, and start tracking down the leads.

The investigator working on the Fields of Dreams case said since the money is passed on from person to person, cases like this can be difficult to solve.

"It all comes down to can the person that accepted this, can they identify this person, because you need witnesses in court later," said the Boardman investigator. "Not always do they catch it the first time, and the thing is, they really can't identify the person later."

Even if police do find the culprit, the investigator needs to consider criminal intent, since the culprit might not realize the money is fake.

In 2019, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer warned his constituents that online retailers like eBay and Amazon sell “Movie Money” as a gag gift or for other reasons.

According to the U.S. Secret Service, prop money is the most popular type of counterfeit money because people don’t have to do much to acquire it.

Scammers can shop on eBay and Amazon, where hundreds of bogus ‘dollars’ are available for around ten dollars.

The Secret Service offers tips to help businesses and consumers identify counterfeit currency:

  • Take a glance at cash when you receive it from any retail establishment or individual.
  • Look for foreign writing on the front and back of the note.
  • Look for the words “For Motion Picture Use Only” or “Replica” written on the note.