LIHUE >> Kauai police are warning about an uptick in counterfeit bills being used on the island.

Assistant Chief Roy Asher says once someone accepts a counterfeit bill, there’s almost nothing that can be done to recover lost funds.

Asher says police are urging business owners to be more careful when accepting payments.

Police say counterfeit cash ranges from false bills printed on regular paper to actual low-value bills that are washed and reprinted with a higher denomination. Authorities say washed bills are tougher to spot because counterfeit pens won’t always work on them.

Kauai police say businesses and others handling cash should compare bills with genuine notes and closely examine bills before accepting them.