Church bans interracial couples

Church bans interracial couples

Church bans interracial couples, Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church has voted to ban interracial couples. The church says the ban will provide "greater unity among the church body." The interracial couples will, however, be welcomed at public services and funerals.

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Airline raises fare $580

Airline raises fare $580

Airline to raise fare $580, US Airways is planning to raise the fare between Pittsburgh and another Pennsylvania city by $580 come January. The move, which has drawn the ire of U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, is reportedly the result of another airline’s move.

Money

Man accidentally gives away life savings

Man accidentally gives away life savings

Man accidentally gives away life savings, An 80-year-old man accidentally gave away his life savings when he donated clothes to Goodwill. The man reportedly didn't trust banks, so he stashed the cash and used it to pay his wife's medical bills.

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Deputies refuse to evict woman

Deputies refuse to evict woman

Deputies refuse to evict woman, Deputies and movers reportedly have refused to evict an elderly woman. No reason was reported for the refusal; the police and movers showed up, and then left. Family members say they're trying to work with the bank to make the necessary payment.

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Craigslist ad seeks girlfriend

Craigslist ad seeks girlfriend

Craigslist ad seeks girlfriend, An ad posted on Craigslist is seeking a girlfriend, but there's a catch. The 28-year-old small-business owne says in the ad, which has been flagged for removal, that his deal breakers are heavy drug use, laziness and prudishness.

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Flying squirrel emergency room

Flying squirrel emergency room

Flying squirrel emergency room, Flying squirrel goes bonkers in E.R. Firefighters managed to capture a flying squirrel after it kept throwing itself into a glass window in an emergency room. The squirrel kept launching itself from an 8-foot-high light

MSN

How to spot counterfeit money

How to spot counterfeit money

How to spot counterfeit money, There Are Some Different Way To The holidays and down economies are prime times for counterfeiters. Now the time to under stand it.......

Millions in fake currency
There's no shortage of cash circulating throughout the economy -- about $824 billion, according to a University of Wisconsin study. But a good chunk of that cash (how much?) may not be on the up and up.

Counterfeit currency is a problem that just won't go away, despite the increased use of credit (which cards are the best?) and debit cards and e-payment technologies. Whether it's a street hustler passing off bogus $10 bills or professional counterfeiters dealing in stacks of $50 and $100 bills, fake currency has the full attention of the U.S. Treasury Department, the FBI and the Secret Service. (Find out the penalties for counterfeiting.)

But, as the Secret Service points out, the American public has a significant role to play in uncovering counterfeit currency. Small-business owners and retail cashiers should be trained to examine and identify phony bills -- but the truth is that anyone can learn to spot a piece of counterfeit cash.

Following are some tips on how to get a handle on bogus bills. They're relatively easy to learn and can turn you into a sharp-eyed spotter of counterfeit currency.

Light it up
The Secret Service advises taking any questionable large bill and holding it up to bright lighting. If it's a good bill, you'll see a hologram on the face-up side of the bill. Ideally, both of the images should match up perfectly. Looking through the light should reveal a thin vertical strip that tells you more. In the photo here, a genuine $100 bill is held above a counterfeit one.

Look for changes in color
The U.S. Treasury offers this tip. Take any $10, $20 or $50 note and move it back and forth (ideally tilting it as you do). You should notice a number in the lower right-hand corner. If the bill's good, you should be able to see a shift in these colors.

Go ultraviolet
An easy way to tell if a bill is authentic is to hold it up to ultraviolet light. Each denomination glows in its own color. Find out what they are:


$5 bills
$10 bills
$20 bills
$50 bills
$100 bills


If the bill doesn't appear as described above, you're holding a phony one.

Play the numbers
An authentic bill has serial numbers that are cleanly spaced and printed in the same color ink as the Treasury Seal (photos). With a fake piece of currency, the numbers may not appear as evenly spaced and may have a color different from that of the Treasury Seal.

What to do
The U.S. Treasury has some advice if you encounter a phony bill:

1. Keep the bill in your possession but get a good description of who gave it to you and where. (How to describe a suspect.)

2. Write down the license or any other available identification number of the passer of the bill, if possible.

3. Contact your local police department or the Secret Service. (How to report fake money.)

4. Place the counterfeit bill in a safe packet or envelope.

5. Do not accuse or otherwise engage the bill passer. Leave that to the authorities.

If you own your own business or handle cash as part of your job, it's a smart move to buy an ultraviolet light (shop for one) or counterfeit detection devices (shop for one). Most business supply stores carry them; you can also buy them online.

Handling counterfeit cash isn't a game. If you suspect you possess a bad bill, take into account the person who gave it to you and call the authorities. Let the law enforcement professionals handle the rest.

Msn Money