The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Fort Walton Beach Police Department have arrested more than a dozen people to date in connection with an investigation into the distribution of counterfeit currency in south Okaloosa County.

The charges range from uttering counterfeit U.S. currency to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute the fake money.

Several search warrants have been conducted since the investigation began in mid-to-late summer. One of the searches led to the discovery of four firearms, including an AK-47 assault rifle.

Three of the weapons had been reported as stolen. The search of the residence also turned up more than 100 grams of cocaine and a case of ammunition for the AK-47.

That particular search led to the arrests of 17-year old Aubrey Joseph and 39-year old Pamela Stoudmire of Fort Walton Beach on September 30th, 2008.

Others arrested so far in connection with the investigation are:
* 33-year old Raymond Forrest Lawson, 611 Manor Ct., F.W.B.
* 39-year old Julie Renee Gomez, 832 Oakridge St., F.W.B.
* 23-year old Laderius Jermaine Jackson ,102 Burned Out Bridge Rd., Baker
* 22-year old John Harry Larimer, 121 Berger Pl., F.W.B.
* 17-year old Kyndric Dallas Wilson, 479 Sara Ave., Mary Esther
* 22-year old Shera Cherelle Morris, 54 9th Ave., Shalimar
* 31-year old Tajuana Latrice Feagin, 538 Parkview Lane, F.W.B.
* 23-year old James Saltaformaggio, of Boutte, Louisiana
* 22-year old Kennon Lottinger, of Luling, Louisiana
* 33-year old Dennis Ronaldo Hunter of 223 Highway Ave, F.W.B.
* 22-year old Larence Daniel Bloxson, 125 Second Ave., F.W.B.
Additional warrants are pending. Because this an active, ongoing investigation, no other details will be released at this time.

TIPS FOR DETECTING COUNTERFEIT MONEY

The best way to detect a counterfeit is to know your currency.

Here are some of the simplest detection methods:

1. Feel the paper. That’s usually the first giveaway. A counterfeit will often be “floppier” than the real thing or just feel strange.

2. Hold the note up to the light. Most banks carry a watermark and thread. A thread always appears as a solid line when viewed and good watermark detail should be seen.

3. The print quality on a genuine note will be crisp and defined.

4. With a magnifying glass you should be able to read any microtext messages.

5. The color on a genuine note will be clear and well defined and the metallic ink area will have a sheen.

6. Depending on how much you handle money, you can purchase a counterfeit detector to mark a suspect bill. The marks from these pens should show up clear if the bill is real, dark if it’s counterfeit. Many retailers use these pens.

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A federal jury has ordered Target Corp. to pay a Greer woman $3.1 million after the jury found that the company distributed information that wrongly accused her of trying to pass a counterfeit bill while shopping.

The jury ruled in favor of Rita Cantrell following a three-day civil trial in U.S. District court in Greenville, according to a judgment filed Thursday.

In 2006, Cantrell brought a civil defamation lawsuit against Target alleging libel and negligence.

The suit alleged that a Target loss-prevention employee was responsible for an email distributed to dozens of other businesses and law enforcement agencies that warned them to be on the lookout for her after she tried to buy items from two Target stores with a legitimate $100 bill, according to a complaint filed in Greenville federal court.

In its answer to the complaint, Target denied wrongdoing and said that the email communication was “made in good faith.”

The email led the U.S. Secret Service to question Cantrell while she was at work at a Belk’s department store in Greenville, where she was employed in the store’s loss-prevention department, the complaint alleged.

Agents reviewed the bill — which was an older, 1974 series $100 bill — and determined she had done nothing wrong, according to the complaint.

The jury awarded Cantrell $100,000 in actual damages and penalized Target with $3 million in punitive damages, according to the judgment.

The lead attorney for Target, Knox Haynsworth, referred questions about the judgment to Target’s corporate office Thursday. The office couldn’t be reached to comment.

In its answer, Target says that its employee sent the email only to a loss-prevention employee at another department store and who also served as theft task force’s communication liaison.

In February 2006, Cantrell was a customer at Target’s locations on Woodruff Road and Wade Hampton Boulevard and was questioned at each location by employees when she tried to pay for merchandise with a $100 bill, which was rejected because it was a 1974 series bill, the complaint alleges.

A loss-prevention employee for Target composed an email that was distributed to a group known as the Carolina Organized Retail Theft Task Force, according to the complaint.

The employee’s email — the contents of which included images of Cantrell shopping and allegations that she had tried to pass a counterfeit bill and had shoplifted — was sent to 31 members of the group, according to the complaint. Members included local, state and federal law enforcement offices, malls, department stores, home-improvement stores and grocery stores, the complaint alleged.

The Secret Service went to Cantrell’s work and subjected her to a “custodial interrogation,” but after looking at the $100, determined the bill was genuine and cleared her of any criminal activity, the complaint alleged.

Following the interview, Cantrell was provided a copy of the email, according to the complaint.

“Every aspect of Rita’s life was harmed by Target,” said Bozzie Boggs, a Greenville attorney who helped represent Cantrell during the trial.

Instead of assuming they know what money is real or fake, they could have simply used a counterfeit pen and saved themselves $3 million dollars.

source

There is a reason he is a detective and you are not.

The Clovis Police Department has seen an influx in counterfeit bills in the area over the past two weeks, according to Detective Sonny Smith.

Smith said the bills are $50 and $100 bills. He said the counterfeiters are purchasing small amounts of goods and receiving legitimate cash back.

One warrant has been issued in the case thus far.

Smith suggested that all businesses take a moment to inspect any bills received by holding them up to the light or using a counterfeit marker.

Source

Then don’t use a counterfeit detecting pen, because as Ms. Ginard from Dunkin Donuts says “The counterfeit money makes for nice decoration on the wall,” she said. “That’s pretty much all it’s good for.”

Don’t try paying for that coffee and donuts with a $50 or $100 bill.

Dunkin’ Donuts probably won’t accept it.

Several Dunkin’ Donuts franchises in New Bedford are not accepting the larger bills because of recent counterfeit money that customers have used to pay for their morning cup of joe.

While police say they have not seen a recent uptick in counterfeit money, Dunkin’ Donuts is taking precautions.

“In general, if we can avoid it, we’re not taking the larger bills” said Petra Ginard, area manager for Dunkin’ Donuts.

Within the past month, Ms. Ginard said Dunkin’ Donuts employees have received at least three counterfeit $50 bills. She said a customer at the Brock Avenue store used a fake $20 bill to pay for his items.

The fake bills have not been concentrated in one area, Ms. Ginard said

“We’ve seen this all over New Bedford and all over the area,” Ms. Ginard said.

Fairhaven Police Chief Gary F. Souza said counterfeit money has been a recurring problem locally but he has not seen a recent increase.

“It still remains a problem and a matter of concern to us,” Chief Souza said.

Meanwhile, New Bedford police spokesman Lt. Jeffrey P. Silva said it has typically not been a big issue in the city.

“The best thing a business can do if they think they’ve taken in a counterfeit bill is to test it with a special marker or call the police,” he said.

“Also important is to obtain accurate information on the suspect who tries passing the counterfeit money so investigators have somewhere to start.”

If someone tries passing a suspected fake bill, Dunkin’ Donuts employees are told to simply give it back.

“We advise the workers not to get into a fight with the customers,” Ms. Ginard said.

Unless a manager is on duty and authorizes the transaction, customers who try to pay with $50 or $100 bills are told they have to use smaller denominations or credit cards.

Signs have even been posted on several stores’ drive-thru windows to inform people of the new policy.

“Some customers have been OK with it but some have complained,” Ms. Ginard said.

While taking the problem seriously, she found opportunity to crack a joke about the situation.

“The counterfeit money makes for nice decoration on the wall,” she said. “That’s pretty much all it’s good for.”

Source article

Last week at Taco Bell someone used a counterfeit $50 bill and fled the scene before he could be caught. This week another person used a counterfeit $20 bill at a fast food restaurant .The Government introduces new bills every 7-10 years to throw off counterfeiters, but that clearly isn’t stopping them so make sure you always have your counterfeit pen on you when dealing with money.

SHELBY - First it was tacos and chalupas. Now it’s biscuits and Thickburgers.
A week after The Star highlighted counterfeit money being used in Cleveland County and at a Shelby Taco Bell, another fake bill has turned up at a fast food restaurant.
According to a Shelby Police report, Hardee’s reported that a counterfeit $20 bill was used at the restaurant Saturday evening.
The report, written by Officer Chris Wilkinson, stated the bill was passed between 6 and 7:30 p.m. and that the manager, Joanna Crosby, said the employee that took the bill did not have a description of the customer that used it.
Last week, The Star wrote about a similar case at the Taco Bell on West Dixon Boulevard. In that situation, police said the suspect fled the scene after her $50 bill was found to be a fake.
“The suspect stated that she had received the counterfeit bill while selling ‘True Romance’ products at a party,” Officer E.J. Godfrey wrote in his report. “She further stated that she was attempting to pass the bill because she could not afford the loss.”
Counterfeiting was a serious problem a few years ago when drug users were paying pushers with fake bills, said Boiling Springs Police Chief Marty Thomas. But, in speaking with The Star last week, he’s not noticed a recent increase in counterfeiting activity.
According to the U.S. Treasury Department Web site, the popularity of the $20 is also the reason that the bill is the most frequently counterfeited in this country. Counterfeiters use computer scanners, laser printers and color copiers to produce and pass bogus bills - many of them of poor quality. Anticipating this trend more than a decade ago, the government launched an effort to make paper currency more secure. To stay ahead of counterfeiters, the United States anticipates introducing new currency designs every 7-10 years. The most noticeable change in the latest design of currency is the addition of color.

If you are running a Garage Sale make sure to have the counterfeit pen with you. Most people don’t bother to check small bills, but with all the counterfeit money going around it pays to be safe.

Nearly $150 worth of fake money was used to buy tickets at Festa Italiana this weekend, and now more reports of counterfeit cash are surfacing. In an attempt to make money, many people in the Stateline are actually losing money at the hands of scam artists.
Police blame the influx of fake money on the stagnant economy, and improved technology. “As far as the upgrades of computers, printers, scanners, we do see an increase,” says Sgt. JR Randall, with the Rockford Police Department’s Investigative Services Unit.
But where these bad bills are showing up, might surprise you. Counterfeiters are taking fake cash straight to your front yard. Jessica Archibald was one of many this weekend, who got scammed at her own garage sale. “I wouldn’t think I’d need to look at a fifty or even a twenty at a garage sale, but it makes a lot of sense, because no one checks for that,” she says.
Jessica says a woman bought about four dollars worth of stuff, and paid with a $50 bill, asking first if Jessica had change. “Sure, not a problem,” she told the woman. “I got change, no big deal.”
It wasn’t until after the woman left, that she realized the money didn’t look right. “It was just a little bit smaller than the other 50’s,” she says. Jessica called police and took the $50 bill to a local bank where they confirmed it was fake.
It turns out Jessica had given $46 in change, to someone who never actually paid.
“They told me she was probably just taking it around to area garage sales, that’s how they make their money,” she says.
That’s because most businesses now have UV lights and special pens that can detect fake money, so counterfeiters are left with few places to spend their illegal dough. “The smaller the place, the easier it is to pass a bill,” Randall says. He says once a phony bill is in circulation, it’s nearly impossible to trace its origin.
The special pens can be bought at office supply stores. Police say the best piece of advice they can give is to be aware of all money you get - compare its coloring, texture, and size with the cash you already have on-hand.

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It looks like another person who should have invested $5 on a counterfeit detector to save $1,000. You don’t have to own a store to be a victim of counterfeiters.

Ulises Garcia said he was withdrawing cash from a Wachovia Bank and depositing it into a Bank of America so he could pay his bills online.
Click here to find out more!

However, the Bank of America teller noticed something funny about 10 of the 36 $100 bills Garcia said he received from Wachovia Bank — they were counterfeit, Local 6’s Tony Pipitone reported.

However, the bank has not given Garcia or his fiancé, Joann Rodriguez, any money.

“We have big plans,” Rodriguez said. “We were planning to get married in about two or three months.”

“And this money’s pretty important?” Pipitone asked.

“Very important,” Rodrguez said. “It’s a big part of our wedding.”

“It is really frustrating for us,” Garcia said. “The bank is not doing anything about it. (It’s) just not giving us any solutions at all.”

Click here to find out more!

However, the Bank of America teller noticed something funny about 10 of the 36 $100 bills Garcia said he received from Wachovia Bank — they were counterfeit, Local 6’s Tony Pipitone reported.

However, the bank has not given Garcia or his fiancé, Joann Rodriguez, any money.

“We have big plans,” Rodriguez said. “We were planning to get married in about two or three months.”

“And this money’s pretty important?” Pipitone asked.

“Very important,” Rodrguez said. “It’s a big part of our wedding.”

“It is really frustrating for us,” Garcia said. “The bank is not doing anything about it. (It’s) just not giving us any solutions at all.”

A Wachovia representative said it will not refund any money because it can’t verify the $1,000 in counterfeit notes were the same bills Garcia was handed by their teller.

But weeks later, Wachovia did refund $40 to another customer with a similar story, Local 6 has learned.

Garcia said Wachovia is ripping him off and has alerted the sheriff’s office, the Secret Service and the media.

“Ten (bills) in one transaction to come from one bank, that is definitely unusual,” U.S. Secret Service representative Jim Glendinning said.

“But is it possible?” Pipitone asked.

“Remotely, yes it is,” Glendinning said.

Glendinning said he was not surprised the Bank of America caught the counterfeits but wondered how a Wachovia could pass the bills unless a bank employee was in on it, Pipitone reported.

The United States Secret Service Web site shows people how to detect counterfeit money.

More here

Make sure you have the counterfeit pen with you the next time you go shopping because these phony bills keep on showing up.

The purchase of a small cup of coffee Monday led to the arrest of a woman for forgery and an investigation by the Secret Service.A 65-year-old Medina woman bought the coffee at the H-E-B deli and paid with what police said they believe were two counterfeit $1 bills.Kerrville Police Department Officer Nelton Spittler and Cpl. Phil Engstrom arrived after employees discovered the forged bills.

According to Spittler, it was “very obvious” the bills were counterfeit.

The woman initially said she went to a garage sale and received the bills as change.

She also said a friend dropped her off at H-E-B.

Police talked with the friend, who turned out to be the woman’s roommate and who said she saw the suspect make counterfeit money.

Police responded by arresting the woman and charging her with forgery.

After her arrest, police found envelopes in her purse that contained $6,380 in counterfeit bills: 55 $100 bills, 31 $20 bills, 10 $10 bills, 25 $5 bills and 35 $1 bills. Seventeen money orders, which are believed to be counterfeit, also were found in the purse.

The woman was charged with forgery of government money, a third-degree felony, and taken to the Kerr County Jail. She remains there on a $150,000 bond.

If convicted, she could face two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

Kerrville police turned the case over to the Secret Service, which investigates the counterfeiting of U.S. currency.

People who believe they have received counterfeit money should contact KPD at 257-8181 or the Secret Service field office in San Antonio at (210) 308-6220.

If you think you have received counterfeit money:
• Do not return it to the passer.
• Delay the passer if possible.
• Be able to describe the passer’s and any companions physical attributes, note the license plate numbers of any vehicles used.
• Contact the Kerrville Police Department at 257-8181 or the Secret Service field office in San Antonio at (210) 308-6220.
• Write your initials and the date in the white border areas of the suspect note.
• Limit the handling of the note. Carefully place it in a protective covering, such as an envelope.
• Surrender the note or coin only to a properly identified police officer or a Secret Service special agent.
Source: www.secretservice.gov

http://web.dailytimes.com/story.lasso?ewcd=866e65e8fac99ea0

Counterfeit money used for pizza

With the economy at an all time low and counterfeit money being reported on a daily basis now is the time to get a counterfeit pen. Even if you are delivering pizza’s you are at risk for running into funny money.

A Uniontown woman used three counterfeit bills to purchase a pizza early Sunday morning in Fayette County. A manager at Domino’s Pizza on Morgantown Street told Uniontown police that a woman at a Lincoln Street residence used three counterfeit bills — two $5 bills and a $10 bill — to pay a delivery driver at 12:17 a.m. Sunday.

The woman who used the counterfeit money told police she obtained it from a neighbor earlier in the day.

Police Chief Jason Cox said the incident is under investigation.

The incident marks at least the third time counterfeit money was used in Fayette County during the weekend. State police at Uniontown said someone passed a counterfeit $10 bill Friday afternoon at Speedy Meedy’s on Route 711 in Springfield. A few hours later, someone attempted to use a counterfeit $5 bill to buy a quart of oil at Miller’s Grocery on Springfield Pike in Normalville.

Both of those incidents remain under investigation.

Some crafty counterfeiters have been going to great lengths to dissuade merchants from even testing their cash. These fraudsters even marked their phony dollars with regular light brown markers so it appears as though they have already been tested in the past. Outsmart or be outsmarted, invest a whopping $5 on a counterfeit pen of your own, they will last for thousands of tests and don’t be bashful; use it or lose it.

The two have allegedly spent at least 14 counterfeit $100 bills in
Natchez and four in Vidalia, Godbold said. He was not sure how many had
been used in Ferriday. Most of them were used at restaurants, gas
stations, Wal-Mart and one at Natchez Municipal Court.

The bills have been hard to find and the counterfeiters have done several things to make them look real.

For example, when real bills are marked with a currency testing pen,
the line shows up a light brown color. With the counterfeit money, the
line is black.

To get around this, the bills were already marked with a light brown
marker so that cashiers would not think to mark them again, Godbold
said. [source]