As the holiday season approaches in Illinois, it's the perfect time for scammers to seize the opportunity to finesse their way through transactions with counterfeit money.

Even though the world has changed a lot over the years and most people have resorted to cashless transactions, there are still people out there using counterfeit money.

It is definitely more common for businesses to see suspicious bills come through their stores during the holidays for many reasons.

1. Increased Transactions: Scammers take advantage of busy retail stores knowing employees are more focused on a higher volume of customers and juggling tons of responsibility.
2. Seasonal Hires: Many businesses hire seasonal employees to survive with the holiday rush.  Employees may not be as experienced detecting suspicious money, so scammers pass money through without getting caught.
3. Demand For Cash: Tons of shoppers withdraw cash to buy gifts or make donations during the holiday season. This demand for cash can make counterfeit bills more likely to circulate.

Related: Beware Of Dangerous Carjacking Scam Rolling Through Illinois

When I worked at Coldstone Creamery in Rockford, it was during Black Friday and we had a line out the door with customers.  A man grabbed a bottle of water that was $1.00 and skipped the entire line to pay for it.

He tried paying with a $100 bill, but I had a feeling something was off about the transaction.  Later that night, we figured out the bill was fake and the guy got real cash in return.  It sucks people are like that!

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Beware of Fake Bills: Counterfeit Money Increases in Illinois

A Rock City bar in Illinois warned their customers and other businesses about counterfeit money they have received at their establishment already.

Read More: Rockford Bar Shares Photo of Fake Dollar Bills Going Around

If you work at a business that is cash only, like a lot of bars around town, just be more aware of the bills you're receiving.

How do you test if a bill is fake?

"Other telltale signs of counterfeit money include look and feel. Should you end up with a suspicious bill in your hand, rub it between your fingers and then do the same to a genuine note. If you detect a difference in texture, especially since real bills have some raised print, you’re probably looking at a counterfeit." [apgsolutions]

So, if you're working with money this holiday season try and stop at least one counterfeit bill from making it's way into your cash drawer!