There are plenty of movies where cold, hard cash is the central focus of the plot. When you think about virtually any heist or crime film, it's hard to find one where there aren't stacks of cash either lying around, banded together, or stashed in a fancy looking black briefcase.
But on a broader scale, currency is used in virtually every genre of film and television, because it wouldn't really reflect reality if people weren't using money to get things or show off.
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However, film studios obviously don't head to the bank before shooting and kindly ask for a few million bucks to help finish the scene. Instead, someone produces fake cash that looks like the real deal.
Unfortunately for police in El Paso, Texas, fake money has managed to find its way into public hands and is being exchanged like normal cash.
The issue has become so widespread that the local police department has issued a press release to warn Texans to look out for the not-so-subtle message on the note.
Credit: El Paso Texas Police Department
The note has one pretty big defining feature that proves it's counterfeit - a massive message that reads 'FOR MOTION PICTURE USE ONLY'.
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To be honest, most people probably wouldn't look at the notes they receive from people or shops, as you'd expect your change to be legitimate. But you'd be pretty red-faced if you handed over a note that had a huge sign, written in capitals, that says the money is only good in the movie universe.
Authorities say: "The El Paso Police Department is asking for anyone who comes into contact with this counterfeit money to call the El Paso Police immediately.
"As in all cases, gather as much identifying information about the individual that passed the counterfeit money and call police."
They say the counterfeit cash has been seen in $100, $50 and $20 notes.
Credit: El Paso Texas Police Department
If for whatever reason you manage to miss the huge, unmissable message that it's for 'motion picture use only', there's another identifying feature which might allude to the note being fake. According to authorities, it's also without a Franklin watermark or security thread when held up to the light.
Meanwhole, the issue plaguing El Paso is an not isolated incident.
The Secret Service had to be called in after filming for Rush Hour 2 had wrapped up. According to Gizmodo, when the film studio blew up a fake casino, thousands upon thousands of fake bills rained down onto the street - which was the exact shot they wanted.
But passers-by picked up the cash, thinking it was their lucky day, and tried to pass it off as legal tender.
Priceonomics adds that in the three decades between the 1970s and 2000, there were nearly 270 types and 2,000 sub-varieties of fake money produced for Hollywood's use in movies and TVFeatured Image Credit: The Dark Knight/Warner Bros PicturesTopics: Texas, Movies, Film and TV, News, Money, US News, currency