The curtain has gone up in Renton on a scam in which the perpetrators use movie prop money to buy things.

Anyone can buy a stack of fake $100 bills online for about $30, according to Commander David Leibman with the Renton Police Department, apparently with no restrictions.

“Selling and buying items between strangers is very commonplace,” Leibman said. “However, if you are making cash transactions with people you are not familiar with, be vigilant that the money you receive may be counterfeit.”

He suggested meeting at a police station for the sale to help thwart the perpetrators.

Renton Police recently recovered a number of the fake $100 bills while investigating a robbery.

In another case, the victim arranged to sell the suspect a pair of expensive shoes.  The suspect handed the victim the money and grabbed the shoes, running off before the victim realized he had been duped, according to Leibman.

In addition, Seattle Police have had at least one case involving the movie prop money.

The movie prop money involved in the Renton cases is similar to an actual $100 bill, according to Leibman. The most prominent distinction is on the top right front with the phrase “FOR MOTION PICTURE USE ONLY” in place of “THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”  The same “motion picture use only” is also on the back, top of the bill, again replacing “THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

Even the seal on the front left of the bill is very similar to the seal on real U.S. currency and the sequencing and spacing of the serial name is similar (13 total characters).

Anyone who encounters the scam or is a victim is asked to call 911.