Temper tantrum

[technopoptart]

My McDonald's no longer accepts $50 and $100 bills because there is a sophisticated counterfeiting operation in the central area of the state. They are bleaching $5's and reprinting them as $50's and $100's. So the markers mark them as real. Also supposedly some of the reprinted bills also had the proper strips in them. After taking 6 fake bills in 2 days the owner decided that his stores just wont tale them. Not unreasonable..

Que this morning, it was nearing the end of breakfast and this "lady" comes thru the drive thru with an $8 order after a coupon for a free sandwich, she hands over a $50 and exact change. i inform her that we no longer accept $50's...(que berserk mode). She goes nuts

SC: "WHATT!!!!"

ME: i explain that there is an advanced counterfeiting operation and we cant risk it.

SC: "Just use the marker"

ME: "sorry ma'am, but they are bleaching..."

SC INTERRUPTING:" ahhh, this is unacceptable...arggh...: (speeds off)

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Now here's the million dollar question;

Did she throw a fit because she was knowingly passing a counterfeit bill and got denied, or was she just a typical SC to whom a minor inconvenience is the end of the known universe?

[blas]

She also could have unknowingly had a fake one, at that, if it's such a huge thing going on in that area.

It'd be probably the most humiliating thing in the world to be the one busted for passing a fake that you didn't even realize was fake yourself.

[starsinthesky]

I don't know many fast food places that still take large bills. None in my area do.

[wolfie]

From my understanding of fast-food drive-through, customer hands over the money, then the employee hands over either (single-window operation) the food and change or (double-window operation) the change, then the customer goes to the second window where another employee hands over the food.

Did I read the OP correctly, in that the customer sped off after handing over the $50 bill and some "small stuff" to make the change come out as all bills, but before being handed anything back? If so, I'd say that's definitely a fake bill, and the customer knew it. NOBODY is pissed off enough to leave $50 behind at a fast food place.

[Anakah]

Sadly I've seen almost every bill faked except 1's. I've seen some really sad attempts at fake 20's and 10's. Yeah where I work the pens are useless and we don't even have them. We have a machine that tells us if bleached bills are real or not. Works half the time ha. Otherwise it's by feel or looking for the face and the strip.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

What's really fun is that a friend of mine was kvetching that counterfitting is so bad in his area that there is a McDonalds that has started refusing $20's

Considering that's what most ATM's barf up when you need some quick cash...what the hell are you supposed to do?

[artcurmudgeon]

In St Louis, depending on the neighborhood, you are lucky if they take cash. Its just easier to have a debit card.

Personally I stay out of the city, and keep my head down....just easier that way.

[PepperElf]

i'm just wondering how they were able to get the plastic strips to match up too. i mean i understand the bleaching part but the plastic strips?

[dalesys]

i'm just wondering how they were able to get the plastic strips to match up too. i mean i understand the bleaching part but the plastic strips?

Because frequently people just look for *a* stripe, and don't read it.

[PepperElf]

Because frequently people just look for *a* stripe, and don't read it.

that'll do it then. cos the stripes are all labeled with the denomination, and they're in different locations.

oh and don't forget the watermarks - they can't take those off either. even with bleaching. but again you have to actually pay attention to what's ON the watermark, not just that it has one.

example of a forgery

and the stripes for each amount:



actually that might be worth printing up for quick checks.
and the colors mentioned - that's what they're suppose to show up as under UV light. So that's another way to tell too.

[Pixilated]

Now here's the million dollar question;

Did she throw a fit because she was knowingly passing a counterfeit bill and got denied, or was she just a typical SC to whom a minor inconvenience is the end of the known universe?

Sounds to me like she was a typical SC -- I think if she'd been pushing a fake bill she'd have tried harder to get it accepted.

However, somebody else raised a good point: if she handed over the money and then drove off in a snit ... it was probably a fake bill and she knew it.

[depechemodefan]

If she was a scammer I would imagine she would ask for her money back to scam someone else. Fake bills still cost money and time.

I remember a homeless person at the library had color copies of bills that he had in pieces and was trying to tape together. I decided to call the Secret Service. No one showed up but I figured I did my duty. I also think this was a day the President was in town for a fundraiser.

[EricKei]

I don't know many fast food places that still take large bills. None in my area do.

Same here. I have not seen a place that takes anything over a twenty in over a decade.

there is a McDonalds that has started refusing $20's

It is my understanding that the most frequently-counterfeited US$ bill is, in fact.....the five. Why? Nobody checks them...

[wolfie]

Same here. I have not seen a place that takes anything over a twenty in over a decade.

It is my understanding that the most frequently-counterfeited US$ bill is, in fact.....the five. Why? Nobody checks them...

And don't count on the twinkle in Lincoln's eye identifying the fakes - so far as I know, only Grannie Annie did that. Cookies for reference.