The Union County sheriff is concerned that movie prop money making the rounds could lead to someone getting hurt or killed.

Union County got its first case of the prop money being passed for real cash last October, Sheriff David Taylor said. Since then, deputies have handled about 12 cases.

"It's not illegal to have this money in your possession. It only becomes illegal when you pass it as real tender," Taylor told WYFF News 4's Mike McCormick.

So far, the Union County cases have involved $100 bills, Taylor said. Other counties have seen smaller denominations.

The bills have the words "for motion picture use only" in an area that on real bills reads "the United States of America."

"The clerks are just in such a hurry to get the customers out of the store, they nonchalantly look at the money and take it, Taylor said. "They're used to seeing this writing, so they don't read it. That's what gets them caught with it."

The words "motion picture use only" appear on the back of the bills.

"This quality is not good quality. I can feel the difference and I can see the difference. People get in a hurry. It's our society. Convenience stores are the world's worst for being in a hurry and trying to get customers out of the store," Taylor said.

Jonesville police arrested James Kevin Gault and charged him with counterfeiting. 

The police chief said Gault got the fake bill by selling his Xbox.

"His statement, after he was (read his Miranda rights) by (the officer), said he got it and he was trying to get rid of it," said Police Chief Carl Jennings.

Jennings said Gault tried to use the bill at a store in Jonesville, but the clerk realized that it was fake and called law enforcement.

"That money's floating around, and people are getting it by the bundles," Jennings said.

Investigators believe that people are buying the prop money online.

"The weird thing about it is you can go on eBay and purchase this money. You can get $10,000 for $24," Taylor said.

Taylor told McCormick that his concern now is that someone will get hurt or killed because of the prop money.

"What we're afraid of is that somebody takes this fake money and uses it for the purchase of illegal drugs, and once they make that purchase, the person they buy it from realizes this money's not real and he goes back to settle the score for being passed counterfeit money," Taylor said.