Police investigating replica dollar bills circulating in the Pittsburgh area

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DUQUESNE, Pa. — A string of fake dollar bills is circulating in the Pittsburgh area and they're being passed as real money, according to police.

Investigators with the City of Duquesne Police Department are asking area business owners to check their money closely.

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In pictures posted to their social media, police point out fine print on the bills with the word "replica."

Police said the money can be bought legally online and it only becomes a crime when someone tries to pass it off as real.

"I saw it on the news and I’m scared that I’m going to have to watch everything because, you know, I don’t want to be stuck with it," Janie Zahn, of Pittsburgh, said.

Police are encouraging businesses to use counterfeit pens to verify the legitimacy of the money. If the ink turns black or charcoal gray, the money is counterfeit.

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