Counterfeit Money Passed At Local Businesses

May 12, 2011

Someone has passed counterfeit bills at Century businesses at least twice this week, and deputies are encouraging businesses to take steps to avoid becoming a victim.

On Wednesday, someone passed a counterfeit $50 bill at a Century restaurant, and suspected counterfeit currency was passed at a Century convenience store on Tuesday.

“We encourage businesses to use counterfeit bill detection pens available where office products are sold,” said Deputy Chris Welborn spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. “If a counterfeit bill is detected, we encourage merchants to call us immediately and provide us with an good description of the suspect.” Welborn said, if possible, merchants should provide a tag number of the suspect.

Anyone with information about the counterfeit currency should call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.

The United States Secret Service offers helpful information for identifying counterfeit money (click here).

Comments

6 Responses to “Counterfeit Money Passed At Local Businesses”

  1. David Huie Green on May 15th, 2011 4:12 pm

    many, many long years ago my mother worked at a store in Columbus, GA where Daddy was stationed. She took a counterfeit silver dollar. The store included it in her pay. Or maybe it was a silver dollar with a hold drilled in it… my memory is going. Either way, it was part of her pay

  2. Bob Tyler Toyota on May 13th, 2011 8:56 am

    I’m a cashier at Bob Tyler Toyota. Just this week I had a guy ask if I would take a fake 10 dollar bill. I told him no and asked where he got it. He said that a gas station gave it to him, but wouldn’t take it back. So he had to take it over to Mobile to turn it in. I asked if I could see it and he complied. I compared the fake with the real. Who ever made it did a dang good job when it came to first glance and a quick change of hands. But with a closer look the texture was off and the 10 on the front right bottom corner wasn’t raised or shiny. It didn’t pass the pen test and there was no face when held up to the light. I also had a co-worker get one from the Burger King. The $10 seems to be making there rounds, so watch out!!

  3. Century Pharmacy on May 12th, 2011 11:48 pm

    We also received a counterfeit $20.00 bill on tuesday. We use counterfeit pens but instructions on the Internet said the pens would make a “black line” If counterfeit …so we accepted it. HOWEVER, it actually will make just a darker brown mark. Maybe this FYI will save someone else from taking one.

  4. jcellop on May 12th, 2011 8:55 pm

    about 8-10 days ago, a lady passed (i believe) a 10 dollar bill at sacred heart..asked another visitor saying that she needed to make change…turned out to be counterfeit….one of the cafeteria workers spoted it after the unsuspecting visitor tried to pay for his meal…we were alerted not to make change for anyone, esp. a younger female- reportedly, baptist had the same problem (per the memo).

  5. nobody special on May 12th, 2011 10:33 am

    They have always had a hard time with counterfeit bills further down south.
    I presume the same ones that winter there and pass them are just coming
    back through to go back home this time of year. I’m sure the police know
    where they come from it’s well known to the police down south.

    Anita….your convenience store probably didn’t know it was conterfeit when
    they took it in, and they didn’t know it when they gave it back out. At least
    lets hope not. I’m very sorry that your daughter had to deal with the nastiness
    of some people and get taken for $20.00. No one can aford that kind of
    loss anymore.

  6. Anita Smedley on May 12th, 2011 9:15 am

    The public also, a convenience store on Pensacola Blvd. gave my daughter a counterfeit $20

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News