Police are warning merchants and Las Cruces area residents of movie prop money that is being passed as actual currency.
Over the last weekend, the Las Cruces Police Department received two reports of movie prop money that was passed as legal tender. Las Cruces police have identified movie prop money in $20 denominations in two separate cases filed over the weekend. It’s common for movie prop money to be in larger denominations including $50 and $100 bills
Movie prop money can have the same look as actual currency but, in most instances, does not have the same texture as actual cash. Prop money is intended to be used on camera so there is no need for the texture to feel like legitimate cash.
Movie prop money bills usually have slightly smaller dimensions than actual currency.
The Las Cruces Police Department strongly encourages merchants and residents to carefully inspect all denominations of currency before completing a cash transaction.