I got a counterfeit $100 bill....from my bank!!!!

maddensmom

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Today has been one of those days. I cashed a check at my bank this afternoon, and then gave my MIL one of the $100 bills that I got there. She took it to her bank to deposit it, and they told her it was counterfeit!!!! I took it back to my bank and told them that it was (which they should have caught in the first place) and they basicly told me there was nothing they could do about it!


I have to take it back up there Tuesday to let the head honcho look at it since she's on vacation this week. Then they might give me another hundred dollar bill. I couldn't believe it. The last place you expect to get counterfeit money is from your bank! Luckily enough, we're not hard pressed for that hundred bucks, but it could have just as easily been someone who couldn't have made it until Tuesday without it.

The worst part of it all was that the woman at the bank told me, that yeah it was counterfeit, but it passes the pen test, so if I wanted too I could just go spend it and get my money that way!!! Umm hello, isn't that a felony?? I'm definately thinking of switching banks. This is unreal.
 

huggles

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yikes thats insane!! I would be taking this as far as you can if they refuse to give you another $100 note. Surely you would be able to take an ombudsmen or something?

Its got nothing to do with whether you can afford it or not - its simply wrong. arrrrggghhhhh banks drive me crazy!! we need to do what our grandparents did and put our money in a cardboard box under our bed


oh and just curious... how come you put the dollar sign after the numbers?
 

arcadian girl

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That's really odd that they encouraged you to go spend it anyway. I'm pretty laid back about things, but even I wouldn't go spend a fake hundred "just to get my money back". You'd think they'd be more concerned about having passed a phoney hundred. What if you'd tried to spend it somewhere and were caught and they thought you were trying to pass it off on purpose? I'd be thinking about switching banks too...
 
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maddensmom

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If they don't give me another hundred a police report will be filled and a letter to the editor of our local paper will be written. DH has even threatened to put a sign on his truck that reads "BLAH BLAH BANK GIVES OUT COUNTERFEIT CASH!"
 

babyharley

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Thats horrible! I'd definately be looking for a new bank if they don't do something about this!! And why should you be stuck with being without the $100? Its not like its your problem that THEY received a fake bill! Why should you be out of the money?! That really makes me mad, I'd be writing a letter to the paper and maybe some big reporters, make some headlines girl
 
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maddensmom

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Originally Posted by huggles

oh and just curious... how come you put the dollar sign after the numbers?
I'm a bit dyslexic (sp?) tonight...I noticed it right after I posted and couldn't figure out how to fix it!! Mods? Anybody??
 

crazyforinfo

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Originally Posted by maddensmom

Today has been one of those days. I cashed a check at my bank this afternoon, and then gave my MIL one of the $100 bills that I got there. She took it to her bank to deposit it, and they told her it was counterfeit!!!! I took it back to my bank and told them that it was (which they should have caught in the first place) and they basicly told me there was nothing they could do about it!


I have to take it back up there Tuesday to let the head honcho look at it since she's on vacation this week. Then they might give me another hundred dollar bill. I couldn't believe it. The last place you expect to get counterfeit money is from your bank! Luckily enough, we're not hard pressed for that hundred bucks, but it could have just as easily been someone who couldn't have made it until Tuesday without it.

The worst part of it all was that the woman at the bank told me, that yeah it was counterfeit, but it passes the pen test, so if I wanted too I could just go spend it and get my money that way!!! Umm hello, isn't that a felony?? I'm definately thinking of switching banks. This is unreal.
Actually 99% of the new counterfeit 100's, 50's, $20's pass the pen test that all banks have in stock. If the bank has a large depositor like a restaurant, they just run the money thru a counter and most likely they don't have the expensive kind to check for counterfeits. I will be highly surprised you get another bill. It sucks but it's the truth. For the new bills check to make sure the numeric numbers change green to yellow, not any other color. These counterfeits also have the fibers. I just can't believe your bank didn't keep the bill. By law they are supposed to & turn it into the feds for verification.

Sorry this had to happen to you.
 

crazyforinfo

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Originally Posted by babyharley

Thats horrible! I'd definately be looking for a new bank if they don't do something about this!! And why should you be stuck with being without the $100? Its not like its your problem that THEY received a fake bill! Why should you be out of the money?! That really makes me mad, I'd be writing a letter to the paper and maybe some big reporters, make some headlines girl
Once you leave the bank how would they know that you didn't make it? How can they prove they gave it to you & not someone else?
I will complain that they didn't keep the bill. Why not write a letter to the board of directors for the bank to raise the funds for a new cash counter that checks for counterfeits!
 

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Something simular happened to me years ago at my bank. The teller gave me a stack of 20's and as I was putting it in my purse, I noticed that one of the 20's looked strange. It was actually a ONE DOLLAR BILL that someone had pasted the ends of two twenties to the ends of the one. I took it right back to the teller I just left and told her what happened. She gave me another one. She should have noticed this in the first place!!!

I hope you get your money back but if you don't, a letter to the editor and your hubby's sign should do the trick.
 
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maddensmom

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I do understand that they have grounds not to give me another bill because basicly its their word against mine that the bill actually came from the bank. What makes me more mad than anything, is that if they would have been doing their job, it wouldn't have happened to me. When you go to the bank you expect to get good real money. Thats why they are FDIC insured and approved, to make sure we get good money. The other bank caught it right off, and once you look at the bill there are many ways to tell its not legit. I'll be paying closer attention to my money from now on thats for sure. I'll check it out before I pull out of the drive through. I just can't believe that they didn't catch it. Like I said, that is their job. By them not doing their job, they cost me 100 bucks.
 

huggles

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Originally Posted by maddensmom

I'm a bit dyslexic (sp?) tonight...I noticed it right after I posted and couldn't figure out how to fix it!! Mods? Anybody??
oh
HAHAHA I thought it was a strange way for doing it... I will change the title for you
 
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maddensmom

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Originally Posted by huggles

oh
HAHAHA I thought it was a strange way for doing it... I will change the title for you
This on top of everything else that has went wrong this week has got me frazzled!! When it rains it pours huh?


Thanks for changing it for me!!
 

natalie_ca

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Counterfeit money is more common than you think. There are billions and billions of counterfeit currency world wide, with a good percentage of it being made up of US Dollars.

A month ago someone in the Vancouver area in Canada was arrested for making counterfeit money. I forget how much they had on them, in addition to a multitude of printed currency sheets that weren't yet cut. They also confiscated some sophisticated printing machines and plates and government quality money paper. Everything was essentially what the mints would use to manufacture money makes it really hard to detect counterfeit from the real thing. They were capable of mimicing the marks embedded within real money. It was quite the sophisticated operation.

Banks do their best to make sure that the money they give out is the real thing but as the clerk said "It passed the pen test".

Unfortunately so far as I know, at least in Canada, banks that have mistakingly handed out a counterfeit bill, will not replace that bill. For them to start doing that they would have every counterfeiter on their door step claiming that they were given fake money...essencially using the banks to do money laundering.

The bank did not commit a felony by passing counterfeit money. They didn't intentionally pass on counterfeit money. They issued the bill in good faith and had taken measures to make sure the money was legit before handing it out. With the growing sophistication in counterfeiting, it's becoming harder and harder to detect fake money. It won't be long before we stop dealing with money completely and are all forced to just deal with "money" on paper through bank cards. That's the only way money counterfeiters will be foiled.
 

neetanddave

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Originally Posted by Catkiki

Something simular happened to me years ago at my bank. The teller gave me a stack of 20's and as I was putting it in my purse, I noticed that one of the 20's looked strange. It was actually a ONE DOLLAR BILL that someone had pasted the ends of two twenties to the ends of the one. I took it right back to the teller I just left and told her what happened. She gave me another one. She should have noticed this in the first place!!!

I hope you get your money back but if you don't, a letter to the editor and your hubby's sign should do the trick.
That happened to me about 20 years ago! I got my 20 that was a 1 from my bank at the time. They took it and gave me another one, no problem. I found it when I was at the market and noticed the Pres was the same on the 20 and a 1.
The cashier and I had a good
!
 

phenomsmom

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i would be highly P.O.'d as a customer of their bank they should give you the benefit of the doubt. And since it is counterfeit and you brought it to their attention they should have kept the bill and given you another. No questions asked. If you did it 3 times a month then I could understand them not wanting to do it. But it was their mistake. They need to correct it.
 

icklemiss21

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Generally, most banks have a policy of not replacing them at all, and by law will have to keep it and inform the police (at which point the police would contact you for an interview (and with your interview, subsequently, your bank).

I would certainly point out to the manager that the proper procedures were not followed, and should the police get involved, let them know that the bank told you to spend a counterfeit note... that might also help in your case of getting the $$ back as the bank are obviously not following procedure properly.

I would also find another bank.
 

mirinae

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

The bank did not commit a felony by passing counterfeit money. They didn't intentionally pass on counterfeit money. They issued the bill in good faith and had taken measures to make sure the money was legit before handing it out.
No, they didn't commit a felony when they passed the money the first time, but when they allowed her to keep it the second time and suggested that she just spend it because it passed the pen test ... well, if that's not a felony, it's at least extremely irresponsible. For that alone, I would be getting a new bank.
 
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