Woman wrongly accused of using fake bill at Target settles lawsuit

[snopes]

A woman's three-year-long battle with Target Corp. has ended with a settlement.

Rita Cantrell sued Target after she was wrongly accused of using a counterfeit bill.

http://www.wyff4.com/news/21305622/detail.html

[Just Jocko]

That's why you don't take it upon yourself to send such notices around -- you let the police/FBI/Secret Service do it. I'm curious as to why they thought it was counterfeit, if it was one of the new bills or what. Honestly, if it were me I think after the first time I'd be taking that bill to the bank and trading it in.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by Just Jocko

I'm curious as to why they thought it was counterfeit, if it was one of the new bills or what.

As one of the archive stories linked from the article notes, "Cantrell tried to buy items at the store and pay with an older series $100 bill." I'm not sure if "older series" simply means a bill that antedates the currency upgrades of recent years, or something even older than that.

[Native Medley]

Originally Posted by Just Jocko

Honestly, if it were me I think after the first time I'd be taking that bill to the bank and trading it in.

Will the banks do that? I've known a few people to get counterfeit $20s actually from the bank, and then when they realize what they have, the bank just takes it back...no reimbursement. At least, that's what they claim... I know it's happened to my brother-in-law's sister a couple of times, and both times she was just out $20.

I suppose you could just deposit it at the ATM to avoid worry...

[snopes]

Originally Posted by Native Medley

Will the banks do that?

If you don't tell them you think it's counterfeit, they will.

[Native Medley]

Originally Posted by snopes

If you don't tell them you think it's counterfeit, they will.

But then why would you be trading a bill? I suppose if you asked for smaller denominations it would make sense, but otherwise, I imagine they'd be suspicious.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by Native Medley

But then why would you be trading a bill?

Because you don't want to get stuck with a (potentially) counterfeit bill.

[Native Medley]

Originally Posted by snopes

Because you don't want to get stuck with a (potentially) counterfeit bill.

But telling the bank that will probably not get you what you want.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by Native Medley

But telling the bank that will probably not get you what you want.

Hence my statement about not telling the bank that you think the bill you're exchanging might be counterfeit.

[Cervus]

Originally Posted by Native Medley

But then why would you be trading a bill? I suppose if you asked for smaller denominations it would make sense, but otherwise, I imagine they'd be suspicious.

Solution: Crumple it up (and/or send it through the washing machine) and then ask to exchange it for a crisp new note. Shouldn't arouse any suspicion.

Not that I've done this.

[snopes]

I suppose if you asked for smaller denominations it would make sense, but otherwise, I imagine they'd be suspicious.

I think you're taking the term "trading" too literally. Taking a $100 to the bank and exchanging it for five $20 bills is also a form of trading.

[RCIAG]

I've also traded an old $20 for a new $20. I wanted a new, crisp bill to put in a birthday/Christmas/holiday card or something like that. Never had any problems.

[Insensible Crier]

I worked with a girl at a toy store who thought a customer was trying to use a counterfeit bill. It turned out the customer was just using a $2 bill and she had never seen one before.

Then came the debate on where to put it in the till...

[effo5231]

Originally Posted by Insensible Crier

I worked with a girl at a toy store who thought a customer was trying to use a counterfeit bill. It turned out the customer was just using a $2 bill and she had never seen one before.

Then came the debate on where to put it in the till...

Under the fifties and hundreds was what I always did. Well...usually I would take two ones from my pocket and buy the two dollar bill... I collect them.

[Insensible Crier]

Originally Posted by effo5231

usually I would take two ones from my pocket and buy the two dollar bill...

That's what my manager ended up doing.

[Just Jocko]

Originally Posted by Native Medley

Will the banks do that? I've known a few people to get counterfeit $20s actually from the bank, and then when they realize what they have, the bank just takes it back...no reimbursement. At least, that's what they claim... I know it's happened to my brother-in-law's sister a couple of times, and both times she was just out $20.

I suppose you could just deposit it at the ATM to avoid worry...

She apparently knew it wasn't counterfeit, since she tried to use it twice, which is why I said if it were me I'd have taken it to the bank. They do know how to check for counterfeits there a bit better that at Target (obviously). To be on the safe side, I'd probably go either to the bank where we have an account or to the bank that gave it to me in the first place (if it's not the same place). The point is, after being accused the first time I'd assume that for some reason that particular bill might be problematic and get rid of it.

And if it did turn out to be counterfeit, all the cops care about is that you didn't try to do it on purpose. Once you can account for where you got the bill (I don't think most people are in such a habit of getting $100 bills that they'd have a hard time remembering the source), they'll follow up on it. And chances are pretty good that wherever that was, they'll replace the bill once they find out it's counterfeit.

[zman977]

A couple weeks ago after getting off work at wal mart I had to pick up a couple things and the lady at the check out was convinced I was trying to use a fake five dollar bill. She looked at it for a long time before deciding it was real. It was an older five dollar bill. She looked at it for a long time. It was annoying but at the same time I figured she's just doing her job so I just stood there and waited although I did at one point start humming the final Jeperdy theme. I swear she looked at the bill for about four minutes.

[Eddylizard]

What you should have done zman977 is pick up your change afterwards and carefully and with great show pretend to examine all of it - coins and ones to verify that it was real, and make the cashier feel like a criminal.

It's been just over two years since we changed the design of the £20 note, and although they are still valid and in circulation, some shop assistants are getting suspicious of the old style ones.

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by Native Medley

But then why would you be trading a bill? I suppose if you asked for smaller denominations it would make sense, but otherwise, I imagine they'd be suspicious.

If it were me, and I gone to the effort of going to a bank to trade a $100 bill, I almost certainly would ask for smaller denominations. For a lot of everyday purchases, $100 will be pushing the stores till float for change. Better to have a mixture of tens and twenties IMO. Even if it is a big purchase, the money still counts.

[jimmy101_again]

Originally Posted by snopes

If you don't tell them you think it's counterfeit, they will.

If you suspect (or know) the bill is counterfeit that would probably be grounds for a conviction for counterfeiting or passing counterfeit money.