Counterfeit currency in Cedar Rapids
Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 5:16 PM
By O.Kay Henderson

Officials say counterfeit money is circulating in the Cedar Rapids area.

In the past 11 days, Cedar Rapids Police have gotten eight different calls from businesses that have received counterfeit money as payment for goods or services. Police now have half a dozen five dollar bills, three ten dollar bills and one fifty dollar bill — all counterfeit. Cedar Rapids Police are going through video from surveillance cameras in some of the stores to try to track the transactions.

A Cedar Rapids police spokeswoman says this “funny money” doesn’t have the feel of real currency. The fake bills also lack the appropriate water marks.

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We just got an email alert from SFPD’s Northern Station, saying that on last Friday, they were called to the Geary-around-Fillmore area, because:

The victim had sold her extra concert ticket to the suspect for twenty dollars. The victim then went to pay for a cocktail with the twenty dollar bill. The bartender, much to the victims surprise, told her it was counterfeit. Security contacted the police and the victim was able to identify the suspect who was still outside. The suspect was placed under arrest. The suspect was booked but it may be possible that there are others that worked with the suspect who are trying to pass counterfeit money in the area.

This is an interesting coincidence, because one other thing we’ve been thinking about today (thanks to SF Citizen), is lawyer Rodel Rodis’ claim reiterated last week that then-Supervisor Gavin Newsom told him that

when he was still in the private sector when he brought the daily earnings of his restaurant (Balboa Café) to the bank to deposit. He said the teller began counting the money and applied a counterfeit detector pen to a $100 bill which she found suspicious. The result confirmed that it was fake…

“So what happened next?” I asked Newsom. “Well, she returned the $100 bill to me and told me to be careful next time,” he answered.

As SF Citizen points out, it’s pretty hard to believe that a teller would just hand a fake 100 back to someone trying to pass it with a friendly warning — and the alert from Northern Station would seem to confirm that, when it comes to fake money, folks do not screw around.

So, was Rodis misrepresenting his exchange with the Man Who Would Be Mayor? Or did the then-Supe Newsom offer Rodis a prevarication in order to make some sort of point?

Sadly, we don’t have that answer for you today: Nate Ballard, who speaks for the Mayor, politely refused to comment on Rodis’ claims.

But, seriously, folks, look out for fake bills — clearly, they’re out there, and something tells us that passing one accidentally or on purpose will get you more hassle than a “be careful next time.”

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According to the secret service-

“Possession of counterfeit United States obligations with fraudulent intent is a violation of Title 18, Section 472 of the United States Code and is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to 15 years, or both. ”

It can very well be a hassle to end up with fake money. Especially now days with a bad economy and unemployment rate of 9.5, that is driving people to do whatever they can to make money- even to the extent of breaking the law.

We highly recommend you to get a counterfeit detector . There really isn’t a better way to keep your money safe these days , unless you work for the secret service maybe?

Chippewa County (WQOW)-Eau Claire Police and the Lake Hallie Police Department arrest two people they say are linked to counterfeit money operations.

Eau Claire detectives say they gathered information that showed Spikes, and Reiacki, had produced U.S. Currency and distributed the currency at businesses in Chippewa and Eau Claire Counties. Items seized today during a search of their home confirmed that reproducing of currency had taken place. Two adults were taken into custody.

Spikes and Reiacki were arrested and taken to the Eau Claire County jail.

Police say they also seized marijuana and numerous items of drug paraphernalia during the search. Charges related to those items will be referred to the Chippewa County District Attorney’s Office.

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Six teenagers have been arrested in connection with the distribution of hallucinogenic mushrooms, Ecstasy and counterfeit money.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Sgt. Dan Britton said Thursday four of the suspects were arrested July 24 at Stodick Park after they delivered 113 grams of psilocybin mushrooms following a month-long undercover investigation.

Arrested were Sean Edward Martin, 17, Robert Andrew Horning, 18 and Dean Anthony Stringham, 18, all of Gardnerville; and Brandon Jacob Thornburg, 18, of South Lake Tahoe.

Deputies recovered $420 in counterfeit bills from a vehicle at the scene.

Martin was taken to the Lake Tahoe Juvenile Detention Center where he was booked for trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sale, conspiracy to violate the Uniformed Controlled Substances Act and possession of fictitious currency.

Horning, Stringham and Thornburg were booked into Douglas County Jail for trafficking in a controlled substance and conspiracy to violate the Uniformed Controlled Substances Act.

On Tuesday, deputies arrested Lucas Lee Miller, 18, of South Lake Tahoe after he tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. The serial number matched the bills seized from the July 24 arrest.

Deputies arrested Paul Everett Mello, 17, of Gardnerville, on Wednesday for two sales of Ecstasy earlier in the month.

Britton said Martin delivered the Ecstasy to Mello during an undercover purchase. Martin is to be charged as a conspirator in that transaction, according to reports.

Britton said the sheriff’s office is investigating numerous cases of passing counterfeit currency throughout Douglas County, Carson City and El Dorado County.

Anyone with information is asked to call sheriff’s Investigator Jeff Schemenauer at 782-9907.

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ORONO (NEWS CENTER) — The Maine State Police are asking shopkeepers to be on the lookout for counterfeit $20 bills.

Last week, police received a call from Dave Hutchinson, the owner of the Checkout Convenient Store in Glenburn, after he suspected a customer passed several counterfeit bills.

Hutchinson says he was tipped off by the identical serial numbers on the fake money.

Since then officers have received calls from several other stores reporting similar activity.

Police say the fake bills are better than average, and even pass a test using a counterfeit detecting pen.

The bills in question also do not have a watermark or a security strip, two features which are found on real currency.

Trooper David Yankowsky says police have several suspects and through interviews and warranted searches they have seized more than $400 in fake bills.

“We did a bunch of interviews to figure out where they are coming from,” Trooper Yankowsky explained. “We found out that Portland PD, one of the serial numbers they have, matches what we have. We think it is either being funneled from Portland or out of state and we caught up with it up here in the Bangor area.”

Investigators say they believe whomever brought the counterfeit money to the area has distributed more $1,000 in fake 20′s and many of those bills are still in circulation.

Authorities say knowingly distributing counterfeit currrency can carry a penalty of 5 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

If you have any information regarding this crime, police are asking that you contact the Maine State Police or the Secret Service office in Portland.

Maine State Police — (800) 432-7381

Secret Service — 207-780-3493

For more information on spotting counterfeit bills, visit the related links section of this site.
NEWS CENTER
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By Richard Harker
News Channel 11 Producer
Published: July 29, 2009

Several Johnson City businesses may start looking at your money a little more closely after police say three people recently passed counterfeit money at several stores.

The Johnson City Police Department arrested Heather R. Winterroth, Stacey Wishon and Matthew Price. Police say the trio, who are all in their early twenties, used several counterfeit bills at local businessess. They all face several charges of criminal simulation. There is no word yet on when Winterroth, Wishon and Price will be arraigned.

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There is a good chance that these people are going to be thrown in jail for their counterfeiting and rightly so. Counterfeiting isn’t something that we should except in society today, especially with the ongoing economic crises. If you own a business or just deal with money regularly, you can help insure yourself from fake bills with a counterfeit detector.

Then you might want to check out this video! This guy had no idea that he was giving a demonstration to an undercover cop while being filmed.

SUFFOLK, Va. – Suffolk police tell WAVY.com several counterfeit bills have circulated throughout the city.

Police say a one dollar bill used to buy a pack of cigarettes from the Holiday Food Store on Carolina Road was found to be counterfeit. Since then, several other counterfeit bills have been discovered. This was one of at least five fake bills used recently in Suffolk, police said.

A counterfeit $20 bill was used to pay a water bill on June 22, a counterfeit $100 bill was used at a 7-Eleven to buy lottery tickets on June 22, and a counterfeit $20 bill was passed at the Happy Shopper on Carolina Road — among others, according to police.

Public Information Officer Debbie George says counterfeit money usually shows up in spurts. She says, typically, if one counterfeit bill shows up, others will follow.

Suffolk police have investigated nearly twice as many counterfeit incidents between April 1 and July 26 of this year, as compared with the same period in 2008.

Anyone with information should call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (562-5887).

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Jemison police uncovered $85 in counterfeit money Sunday during a traffic stop on Chilton County Road 42.

Corey Coggins, 20, of Deatsville, was arrested and charged with counterfeiting in U.S. currency and attempt to commit a controlled substance crime. Arsenio Cuenca Jr., 24, was also arrested and charged with attempt to commit a controlled substance crime. Both are felony charges.
Jemison police confiscated several counterfeit bills Sunday during a traffic stop. Police chief Shane Fulmer said while the bills look real at first glance, there are ways to indentify fakes.

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Jemison police confiscated several counterfeit bills Sunday during a traffic stop. Police chief Shane Fulmer said while the bills look real at first glance, there are ways to indentify fakes.

During a search, police found in the vehicle a computer and a printer they believe were used to make the counterfeit $5 and $20 bills.

Jemison Chief of Police Shane Fulmer said at first glance the bills looked legitimate, but several features gave them away.

“All the serial numbers were the same,” Fulmer said. “The coloring was a good bit different.”

Police also believe the two men were planning to purchase narcotics with the money at an unknown location.

To prevent counterfeit bills from entering circulation, Fulmer encourages local businesses to check the money they receive for counterfeit bills.

“Across the entire country as well as in our area in today’s times, counterfeit money seems to be a problem,” Fulmer said.

Fulmer said identifying counterfeit bills can be tricky.

“Nowadays they even generate counterfeit money where you can’t even detect it by the pens,” Fulmer said.

Fulmer said some area businesses have begun using ultraviolet lighting to illuminate a strip inside the newer legitimate bills instead of using counterfeit-detecting pens.

Fulmer said the Jemison Police Department has information packets available about detecting counterfeit money for anyone interested.

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Unless you are making your own counterfeit money, chances are that you would prefer to avoid fake bills as much as possible. Owning a counterfeit detector would be a smart move to insure yourself from counterfeit money. In this economy it pays to be safe when it comes to your monetary possessions.

GOSHEN — Officials at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair are working with the Goshen Police Department and the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department to make sure the fair does not fall victim to a counterfeit money spree.

This comes just as Elkhart Police say reports of the counterfeit cash have stopped in the city of Elkhart.

But businesses in Goshen are now falling victim to the scam, making fair officials nervous that the counterfeiters may target the county fair.

“With our measures in place, we’re going to try our darnedest to catch these folks if they try to come into the fairgrounds,” explained Gale Gerber, president of the 4-H Fair Board. “It may slow our lines down a little bit, but we want to make sure we don’t get counterfeit money.”

Those measures include checking every bill that comes in — exactly what other area businesses have started doing.

Tiffany Miracle is the manager at Lo-Bobs Tobacco, a business that was scammed a week and a half ago. They accepted a counterfeit $20.

“All we do now is check every bill with a pen,” Miracle said, “If it’s any color than it’s supposed to be, we won’t accept it. We’ll hold it and call the police.”

During the counterfeit spree in Elkhart, police said around $1,500 in fake bills were recovered.