The counterfeiters start with real $5 bills printed between 1996 and 2006 with Lincoln’s portrait and a watermark of Lincoln’s face. They apply “Purple Power” cleaner on the $5 bills ...

Counterfeiters have been removing the ink from $5 bills and printing them as $100s, said Alexandria Police Sgt. Lee Leach, who is a financial crimes detective.Because they use the paper from real ...