I figure most of you have experienced giving a cashier a $20 bill

[raccoon]

or maybe a $10 bill, and he/she marks it with a pen. To see if it's counterfeit, I was told.

Those of you in retail or law enforcement, is counterfeiting that common?

Second, if it is counterfeit, what happens when you mark it with a pen?

edited for typo

[AllegroRondo]

1. Not incredibly common, but it happens

actually, Ive heard that 70% or more of all counterfeiting is done with color copiers or computers and printers.

the pen just checks the paper, if its a fake, the ink turns black. paper is the hardest thing for a counterfeiter to get correct.

[Richardo]

2. We only marked $50s and $100s

Yes: If the paper is right, the mark remains yellow, if fake, it turns black.

[AllegroRondo]

6. Good counterfeiters go for the large notes

its the idiots at home with a scanner and printer who think they can copy a $20 or $10 and get away with it.

[northzax]

3. much more common outside the US

I have heard that 25% of the dollars floating around outside the US (And there is as much money outside the US as there is inside) is counterfeit.

[jarab]

4. I ask to borrow their marker when they do that to me ...

and check every single bill they give me in change .... although I don't have an inkling what the hell I'm looking for.
It's a trust thing, I suppose. If my fifty may be counterfeit, can't their twenty be, too?

...O...

[Courtesy Flush]

10. LOL! That's great! nt

[Maine-ah]

5. we had a bunch of probs this past summer

with counterfeits. Caught the people though.

[auntAgonist]

7. your little one is growing so fast!!

cute as a button though :)

aA
:hi:

[sniffa]

8. speaking of counterfeit biLLs

one time at the store across the street from our house, this LittLe punk kid (he was a tuff! i couLd teLL by his cocked hat and baggy pants) and tried to hand the cashier a piece of paper that had $20 written on it.

the guy Laughed and said, "what's this?"

and the punk kid pLayed dumb, and said it's a 20 doLLar biLL (even though he didn't even bother doing any sorta artwork to at Least resembLe a biLL, much Less coLoring it green). so the guy Laughs, hoLds it up to the Light, and then runs the pen over it. he gives it back to the kid, and teLLs him to Leave and never come back.

the punk says, "what? *suckes teeth* you think i'd do that on purpose?"
he then turns to me and says, "*sucks teeth* this mother fucker thinks i did it on purpose. *sucks teeth*"

at about this point, i can't controL my Laughter, and the cashier is now yeLLing for him to get out.

i wish he had kept the biLL.

[asthmaticeog]

9. Ah youth.

That's a hilarious story! :thunbsup: