Counterfeit Money - What to Do?

Lhymio on 02/01/2016 - 02:03

I noticed that one of the fifty dollar notes in my wallet was a bit dodgy - plastic was too thin and didn't feel right, printing was blurry and smudged and it didn't have the watermark when I held it up against a light. Checked the note security signs on the RBA site and I'm definite it's a counterfeit note.

The internet says I should take it to the police but I was wondering if anyone's gone through the same thing before? I don't mind going through the reporting process but I want to be emotionally prepared for whether I'm down $50 or if they'll give me a real one back.

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Comments

  • Mikka366 on 02/01/2016 - 02:39
    +8

    Tell the police the only way they can have it is to buy it from you for $100!!

    • akyeeeahdude on 02/01/2016 - 14:21

      EDIT READ IT WRONG

      • gimli on 02/01/2016 - 20:50
        +18

        edit - accidently left caps lock on.

  • spackbace on 02/01/2016 - 02:43
    +5

    Ooh interesting moral dilemma. Hand it in, you're $50 down. Or attempt to use it at a retailer, but then they'll pass it on to some other poor schmuch!

    • isthisreally_me on 02/01/2016 - 09:07
      +4

      Or report the OP for passing on counterfeit money which is an offence

    • Scrooge McDuck on 02/01/2016 - 10:13
      +86

      Or attempt to use it at a retailer, but then they'll pass it on to some other poor schmuch!

      Use it at Harvey Norman.

      • aussieprepper on 02/01/2016 - 18:00
        -2

        or dick smith they owe me about the same from a none for-fulled order so no need to feel guilty! lol

        • Scrooge McDuck on 02/01/2016 - 19:20
          +40

          none for-fulled

          I believe the word you're looking for is "unfulfilled".

        • aussieprepper on 02/01/2016 - 20:01
          -7

          @Scrooge McDuck: yea either one will do thanks!!! lol

        • Jesmond on 04/01/2016 - 14:55
          +10

          I had a mate who, for his whole life, thought the word "background" was actually "back round." It took some convincing too.

        • aussieprepper on 04/01/2016 - 15:28
          -1

          @Jesmond: it's what happens when you type on a mobile phone

        • serpserpserp on 04/01/2016 - 19:52
          -1

          Yeah right. I'm sure they just took your money and didn't deliver your item and then never refunded you….

        • aussieprepper on 04/01/2016 - 20:15

          @serpserpserp:yea buddy I have proof got a pending order from one month ago and I have sent emails and no answer champ

        • serpserpserp on 04/01/2016 - 21:15
          -1

          @aussieprepper:

          Order is pending champ. Just wait it out.

        • aussieprepper on 04/01/2016 - 22:01

          @serpserpserp: yea no worries its normal to have an order pending for over a month? Also not to answer my emails? Please never run a business!

        • bargaino on 05/01/2016 - 00:33

          @Jesmond:

          I had a mate who, for his whole life, thought the word "background"

          He probably could not read. Illiteracy is more common than you realise.

        • Scrooge McDuck on 05/01/2016 - 00:49
          +3

          @Jesmond:

          I had a mate who, for his whole life,

          What happened to him?

        • Jesmond on 12/01/2016 - 13:45

          @Scrooge McDuck: Still alive but dead to me. 🐵

  • [Deactivated] on 02/01/2016 - 04:08
    +18

    You most definitely won't receive $50 in exchange for it, otherwise there would suddenly be an incentive for people to run fake notes off the mill, proclaim that they were given the counterfeit note and receive $50 for their efforts.

    You pretty much have two options:

    1) Hand it in to a police station nearby, accepting the fact that you'll be down $50; or
    2) Attempt to use the counterfeit note at another point of purchase, with the risk of some social difficulty if the note is detected as a counterfeit upon acceptance, and the definite possibility of a) that note being passed onto another party; or b) the note being detected at a bank somewhere down the track.

    • Tnetennba on 04/01/2016 - 04:03
      +5

      Except option 2 is VERY illegal.. OP should hand it in to a police station or destroy it (though handing it in helps them investigate counterfeiting and track where counterfeits are being used). The police station will send it off to the AFP who deal with counterfeit money.

      • [Deactivated] on 04/01/2016 - 08:47
        -3

        He is right, you should hand it off mate, a lost of $50 is nothing compared to letting counterfeit money grew larger. You don't want to see more of that, do you?

        $50 is nothing man… A day salary for a beggar.

  • Lysander on 02/01/2016 - 04:20
    +27

    Now that you know it is counterfeit, passing it on and attempting to pay with it is very illegal and can have severe consequences.
    Would not do it for the sake of $50. Consider it tuition fee for a lesson learned (pay attention to money you receive and make sure it is real money).

    • Scrooge McDuck on 02/01/2016 - 10:09
      +7

      Now that you know it is counterfeit,

      Get plastered before you use it…

    • No ONE on 02/01/2016 - 21:53
      +6

      a lesson learned

      How would that be a lesson learned? You don't always check the note if they are real or fake, you would first be worried about if the correct change is given, then having a look if it's real. It hard to check the note on the spot because you don't want the people lined up behind you staring at you. That would be weird as if people will think you have trust issues.

        • T1OOO on 03/01/2016 - 02:03
          +4

          Stuff the people behind me I'm not willing to lose a few seconds of my life to check them! Lol your times not very valuable I guess

        • Lysander on 03/01/2016 - 06:13
          -4

          @T1OOO:

          Well, let's see.

          Maybe an extra 5 seconds to ensure I do not lose $50.

          That would make a minute wage of $600 or an hourly wage of $36,000.

          Yes, you are right. My time is not THAT valuable.

        • T1OOO on 03/01/2016 - 10:57
          +2

          @Lysander:

          You'd be counting a million time by a few seconds for $50

        • opt on 03/01/2016 - 14:01
          +10

          @Lysander:

          You are not earning or saving $50 in 5 seconds !

          How many counterfeit dollars have you been handed over in your life? Divide that by total number of seconds you wasted all this time for any kind of sensible dollar value for your time.

          If you haven’t had any fake notes so far, then all that time was wasted for nothing !

        • Lysander on 03/01/2016 - 14:55
          -2

          @opt:

          Had plenty due to working at fairs with a people volume of 4 million over 10 days in Europe. Each time about 70-120 fake notes.

          But you also assume you need extra time. I do not need extra time. While I check the change I can also check the notes - simple as that.

          The point is: I do not care even if the people behind would have to wait an extra five seconds which they do not.

        • realfancyman on 03/01/2016 - 20:12
          +7

          @opt: Just use EFTPOS.

        • Euphemistic on 04/01/2016 - 08:10
          +1

          @realfancyman: or credit card with rewards.

        • winterseed on 05/01/2016 - 15:28

          I don't handle very many large notes, I would feel like an idiot if I ever accepted a fake $50 just to save a few seconds (each time) since I know they're going around. I'm with you, Lysander.

  • lost69 on 02/01/2016 - 07:09

    -> Five stars at the bottom clear plastic?

    -> Serial number - does it start with 09?

    -> 7 pointed star held up to light?

    -> Does it rip if you yank it?

    -> Plastic window stuck on?

    Take a picture and post it.

    • cloudy on 02/01/2016 - 08:13
      +1

      Why show a photo of it? It would look just like a real one, if it looked obviously fake OP wouldn't have taken it.

      All the subtle feautures which make it fake won't show on a photo.

      • lost69 on 02/01/2016 - 09:51

        Blurry and smudged ink will show.

    • sareth on 02/01/2016 - 10:23
      +4

      Serial number - does it start with 09?

      That doesn't seem like a feature that would be difficult to counterfeit.

      • kerfuffle on 02/01/2016 - 10:41

        It'd only start with 09 if it was manufactured in 2009.

    • hymio on 02/01/2016 - 11:19

      It looks obviously fake to me but my mum's more gullible. She usually does the holding-up-to-light trick but they've printed a light one on the note and she fell for it. I'll try take a photo of it tonight!

  • cloudy on 02/01/2016 - 08:12
    +7

    I've had the same experience OP. It's a bit sad, but the truth is you've lost $50. Hand it into the police and let them know as much detail about how you might have received it and help this stop.

    My lesson learnt is always check the notes you receive, my mum has received two five cents coins glued head to and spray painted gold , passed as a two dollar coin. It's a harsh lesson , but good one.

    • GourmetFoodie on 02/01/2016 - 09:29
      +7

      That is so f-ed up about the 5 cent coins spray painted gold! Damn people are dodgy.

      • JimmyF on 03/01/2016 - 10:41
        +2

        Gotta make and pass off a LOT of 'fake' $2 coins just to cover the cost of buying glue and can of gold spray paint!! Why bother?

        • gimli on 03/01/2016 - 14:09

          Just glue and use it on games at arcades

        • JimmyF on 03/01/2016 - 14:41
          +5

          @Gimli: pretty sure vending machines don't fall for these coins, haven't for decades.

        • gimli on 03/01/2016 - 15:44

          @Level380:

          The old arcade games still do

        • JimmyF on 03/01/2016 - 15:55
          +1

          @Gimli: I'm guessing the ones decades old do ;)

        • gimli on 03/01/2016 - 16:15
          +1

          @Level380:

          Yep ddr, nascar etc

  • onetwothreefour on 02/01/2016 - 08:32

    Who gave you the note?

    • gimli on 03/01/2016 - 16:15
      +15

      Legolas.

      That guy is a clown.

  • Diji1 on 02/01/2016 - 08:36
    -4

    I'd attempt to pass it on due to not wanting to lose 50 bucks. Well actually I'd attempt to pass it on provided I hadn't come online and explained how I know it's fraudulent and that I plan on passing it on.

  • Unorthodox on 02/01/2016 - 08:45
    +4

    Shame it's not America, you could smoke up that $50

    • Diji1 on 02/01/2016 - 09:00
      +1

      I think they use Bible pages for that rather than bananaskins.

    • cypher67 on 02/01/2016 - 11:55
      +3

      Seeing as you are down $50 now which is not good, but similar to this smoking it up, if it is a fairly convincing counterfeit, when you have friends around you could act all gangster and light a cigar using the note.

      • macrocephalic on 04/01/2016 - 10:00

        Light a cigar using a polymer banknote? You Philistine!

  • GourmetFoodie on 02/01/2016 - 09:28
    +3

    I would pass it in to the police and take it as a $50 lesson.

    Do you know where you got passed it?

    I used to be religious about checking notes - but these days I almost never use cash which does help lessen the likelihood of this happening…but it's also made me lazy about checking during the times I do - so this is certainly a wake up call.

  • subywagon on 02/01/2016 - 09:51
    +2

    Do you know where you received it from? You could try going back and having a go at them for passing on the note to you perhaps?

  • Scrooge McDuck on 02/01/2016 - 10:19
    +1

    Assuming you received it as change OP,

    Try to quit using cash. ING still offer a 2 % rebate on Tap&Go purchases under $100 and there are various worthwhile credit card rewards offers around AFAIK…

  • hymio on 02/01/2016 - 11:08
    +15

    Thanks for the tips everyone. I'm going to hand it in to the police at some point next week. Extra thanks to Lysander for pointing out the illegality of trying to use it, you've come a long way since your eloping and forest-traipsing days.

    We worked out that it might have come from a customer who asked my mum to break the $50 at her shop. She was a bit suspicious about the note but it looked legit enough so she let it go. We're going to see if we can maybe find some security footage of the person to help the police track them down but I'm guessing they also ended up with the note and were just trying to pass it on.

    • saine on 02/01/2016 - 12:12
      +3

      Good decision, particularly as you're now on public record that you know it's a counterfeit.

    • colinjames on 02/01/2016 - 15:35
      +1

      the truth will set you free … nice story in the OP though

      • hymio on 03/01/2016 - 15:32
        +2

        I still get money from my mum for Christmas/New Years :D

    • juventino on 02/01/2016 - 18:20
      +2

      hell that customer might not even know that the note is fake.

    • JimmyF on 03/01/2016 - 10:43
      +2

      Bugger…. But a warning for next time someone wants to break a note. Double check it!!

      Also might be handy to print this out as your a shop.

      http://www.police.act.gov.au/~/media/act/pdf/counterfeit-cur…

    • GourmetFoodie on 03/01/2016 - 16:25
      +2

      Interesting that you think it was a customer. Triggered my memory - when I worked in retail I remember being told to always be suspicious of people breaking larger currency notes and to check them carefully.

  • Donaldhump on 02/01/2016 - 11:38
    +7

    go buy kfc with it from a 14 year old, and have a mate behind you with a 100 dollar note who wants a zinger, he will get the fifty and he can say its dodgy to kfc…

    • gringo on 02/01/2016 - 14:27
      -5

      then 14 yr old points you out and the cops are called? potential 10 years jail.. and you just got caught in the act

      This is the relevant law

      9 (1) A person shall not, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse -
      (a) have in his possession counterfeit money, knowing it to be counterfeit
      money; or

      (b) have in his possession a counterfeit prescribed security, knowing it to
      be a counterfeit prescribed security.

      Penalty -

      (a) in the case of a person, not being a body corporate - imprisonment for
      10 years; or

      (b) in the case of a person, being a body corporate - $50,000.

      (2) It is a defence to a prosecution of a person for an offence against
      subsection (1) in relation to the possession of counterfeit money or a
      counterfeit prescribed security if the person charged establishes to the
      satisfaction of the court -

      (a) that he did not make the counterfeit money or counterfeit prescribed
      security; and

      (b) that he did not, after the time when he first learned that the
      counterfeit money or counterfeit prescribed security was counterfeit money or
      a counterfeit prescribed security or the time when he acquired the counterfeit
      money or counterfeit prescribed security, whichever was the later time, have a
      reasonable opportunity to surrender it to a member of the Australian Federal
      Police or of the police force of a State or Territory or to any other person
      prescribed for the purposes of this section.

      • chill on 03/01/2016 - 03:09
        +15

        boring….

        • gringo on 03/01/2016 - 12:31
          +3

          Sorry to bore you guys with an actual answer to the question.

          Anyway, now you know, there really isn't much wiggle room in what you do - take it to the police or destroy it.

          You won't get it back.

      • Donaldhump on 04/01/2016 - 10:54

        you wont go to jail if you 'dont know" about it…

        • SKiZO on 05/01/2016 - 14:02

          Absurd as this is - this is actually correct! I have been let off in court on a similar technicality.

          However other legislation would probably cover this as well. So don't do that.

    • MrClown on 04/01/2016 - 14:51

      It would be pretty easy to remember that the $50 came from the customer before. Security vision would get reviewed and handed to the cops.

  • AMLagonda on 02/01/2016 - 12:30
    +1

    You sir are down 50 bucks!

  • CandyMan on 02/01/2016 - 13:26
    +2

    I increasingly find Fijian coins handed to me as change. Looks and feels the same, has the queens photo on one side and the only way to find out is to look on the other side.

    • Donaldhump on 04/01/2016 - 10:55
      -5

      i fly to fiji once a year, and come home with $5000 of fijian coins… then proceed to buy stuff with them every year…. i save thousands

      • CandyMan on 04/01/2016 - 16:09

        So that's where all of those coins come from?

        Considering Fijian currency is only worth a fraction of ours, yes, you could save, but is it ethical

        • Donaldhump on 04/01/2016 - 16:24

          im kidding, do u not thing the baggae fee would be a little too much

        • fantafox on 04/01/2016 - 16:33

          @unclesnake: could be good for aldi trolleys. Or 2 x 5cent coints

        • Donaldhump on 04/01/2016 - 16:37
          +1

          @fantafox: i used to glue 2 five cent pieces together and spray paint them gold…. fed the kids for many years… worked a treat at their tuck shop…. finally got caught by parking inspector when i jammed one in the meter at surfers… got community service

        • spaij on 04/01/2016 - 17:23

          @unclesnake: this would be funny & ironic if true…

        • CandyMan on 04/01/2016 - 17:31

          @unclesnake: lol :)
          Imagine explaining to the custom officers why you have all those coins when they show up on Xray

        • Blottski on 05/01/2016 - 00:02

          LOL…. mates used to do the old 2 x 5 cent coins painted gold trick back in the day at the Adelaide Show as teenagers

        • Donaldhump on 05/01/2016 - 10:48

          @CandyMan: yeh i was thinking last night, no one could have any plausable reason to have $5000 of 5c coins in their back, and it must way a fricken tonne

  • TheAviator on 02/01/2016 - 14:10
    +2

    Another reason to make the switch to a debit/credit card :)

    • fickre on 02/01/2016 - 17:32
      +5

      Illuminati confirmed.

  • 2Poor4Ozb on 02/01/2016 - 15:46
    +4

    been through this same thing except it was one of my customer, a dodge $50. I call the police and they tell me to call the AFP (not their department), so i call the AFP, they told to call the police (its a local matter) ——>bunch of LAZY pricks. So i call the police again. wasted like an hr of my time n customer time. Finally they came down ask me as witness discribe customer reaction….blah blah blah took the money. End of story customer lost his $50. There some REAL looking cash yrs ago even they bank cant tell only diff is the serial number. same material same color same size.

  • smpantsonfire on 02/01/2016 - 21:13
    -6

    YAh, police prob tell you call AFP. As it's a Federal Offence. Throw it in the bin. Any fingerprints will be untraceable anyway.

    • smpantsonfire on 03/01/2016 - 18:43
      -1

      Negged for telling it how it is. Good job guys

      • Hirolol on 03/01/2016 - 22:09

        I just negged u for crying about being negged
        Sorry, its nothing personal.

    • johnno07 on 04/01/2016 - 23:11

      Handed in a fake $50 to the cops a couple of years ago. They took my statement re: when/where I received it. Did not "tell me to call the AFP". Negged for stating shit without knowing shit.

      • smpantsonfire on 05/01/2016 - 21:33

        Or I work at a place that handles a lot of money, and it depends on the police person you deal with. It is a federal offence/matter, hence afp.

        The officer you spoke to would have just passed it onto the bank and afp.

        I've dealt with this situation many times. So I'm not stating Shit without knowing Shit.

  • Dr Techno on 02/01/2016 - 21:31
    +2

    See if the opal card machine likes it or not?

  • Ozbargainlyf on 02/01/2016 - 21:44
    +8

    just go spend it at a club/pub where the lighting's shit

    • AMLagonda on 03/01/2016 - 00:16
      -1

      and cameras

      • Skinnerr on 03/01/2016 - 01:28
        +1

        shit lighting and cameras. sweet.

  • Freek on 02/01/2016 - 23:22
    -4

    Go to your banks ATM. Use the deposit option. Go to another ATM, or wait a day and take $50 back out. :)

    • AMLagonda on 03/01/2016 - 00:16
      +2

      cameras…

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