Accused of trying to use a fake €50 note

sassa · 07-02-2009 8:24pm #1

when paying for my items in one of the local shops i handed in a 50 note and the girl held it below the counter used the marker and said it was fake. Having used these markers before i know that it should turn black if its fake, it didnt I told her its not the marker hasnt changed colour and she said its a new one if it doesnt turn colour its fake. then she kindly offered to not tell the manager but would have to confiscate the note to prevent me using elsewhere after a few minutes arguing in which i told her to call the guards then she let me have my money back and go. I went into the shop next door which had the marker and a blue light and they verified it was real. I'm really ****ing pissed off now as i was fecking accussed of using a forged note infront of other customers.
anyone else ever experience this?? how would you follow up on it?

07-02-2009 8:29pm

Report her to management without a doubt.

"Confiscate" it? Cunt.

I wouldn't stand for it, that's for sure.

Thoie · 07-02-2009 8:29pm

I'd have hung on there and asked to speak to the manager and the Gardaí and discussed the shop policy of confiscating forged notes.

Actually, I'd have tried to keep that 50 and not spent it. I still think you should call the shop, speak to a manager, and ask what the policy on confiscating notes is, and could (s)he confirm that they have new pens that don't change colour if it's fake.

Put it this way - if every shop uses a pen that leaves a black mark on a note if it's real, after about a week the note will be unusable due to being scribbled all over in black.

calex71 · 07-02-2009 8:30pm

I would at the very least asked for the manager and told him what she was up to , it was an attempt to rob you :mad:

livvy · 07-02-2009 8:32pm

I think i would have reported her to the Gardai and/or shop manager. Ive no doubt in this age it is on cctv and your story could be checked. An older or very young person may have fallen for it.

sassa · 07-02-2009 8:35pm

I still have the note not parting with it till i get something done about it, i used my card to pay in the other shop and when i saw they had the marker and light for checking them i asked her to check it for me and explained what happened. If its a fake its a damn good one!

when i asked for the manager i was told they were not available at the minute and i could wait if i wanted if i wasnt in a hurry i would have. think the manager can expect a visit on monday

Kensington · 07-02-2009 8:44pm

What a chancer! And the crap she came up with about the marker - ALL the markers only turn turn black if the note is fake, otherwise they'd end up defacing or destroying every legitimate note that the marker was used on to check it was legit. Even more fishy that management were suddenly unavailable at the time you asked to see them.

Definitely report her to management, ASAP, who knows who else she'll try this trick on in the meantime, and worse still, who might fall for her allowing to "confiscate" their "fake" notes!

PCPhoto · 07-02-2009 8:46pm

did you get the name of the sales person that claimed your note was a fake ?

Call back to the shop or phone them and speak with a manager - explain to the manager that you have been accused of producing a forged note by a staff member and in front of other customers (possibly some people that you know)
if they do not offer an explanation and complete apology - tell them you might need to consider contacting a solicitor - it might be harsh on the sales assistant but he/she faces loosing their job as a result of this event.

I do think this could have been at attempt to take the note from you which is something that maybe the Gardai need to be told about.

boycey · 07-02-2009 8:54pm

I dont know how much good it will do now going back to the manager now - for all he knows you were trying to pull a fast one and now youre back with a real note and a grudge. You would have fared better waiting around that night had you the time. However it could be a clever wee scam going on- if no one ever reports their experiences management will never hear of it.
My own experience with those pens is the same as yourself- no mark for real money, browny-black mark on duds. I have'nt seen or heard of these 'new ones' .

FWIW we do keep any fakes in the bank at the loss of the customer, and forward these to our own fraud dept. They are sent on to the central bank for destruction. Im assuming this is the same for all retail.

Heres hoping the rest of your night went better!

wmpdd3 · 07-02-2009 8:58pm

At training about 4 years ago we were instructed to take fake notes and call the guard that looks after retail in the city, we all refused.
It's dangerous to even question a note let alone tell the customer your taking it.

It always ends in agro. when you tell somebody you suspect the note may be fake.
But hey we are paid to deliver bad news!
I usually say something like it seams like you have been the victim of a counterfeit note and take them aside to investigate it.
The usual answer is it just came from the machine / bank / post office etc.

In my opinion either the assistant is well dodgy ( those pens always change colour), or the shop has no propper procedure for forged notes so the assistant.

The answer in the store is proably that the assistant was so afraid of taking the note that they made a mistake etc.

I'd report it to the police.

hargo · 07-02-2009 8:59pm

So what was the name of the shop?

sassa · 07-02-2009 9:03pm

hargo wrote: »

So what was the name of the shop?

I'll check with a mod first if its allowed dont want to get banned on top of everything else

SouthKerry · 07-02-2009 9:05pm

Was the shop assistant Irish?

sassa · 07-02-2009 9:12pm

SouthKerry wrote: »

Was the shop assistant Irish?

no. think she might have been latvian.
But lets not turn it into a feckin foreigner thing. cant tar them all with the same brush.
although i would tar and feather this one for doin that.;)

eth0_ · 07-02-2009 9:43pm

SouthKerry wrote: »

Was the shop assistant Irish?

How is that relevant?

foggy_lad · 07-02-2009 10:14pm

she kindly offered to not tell the manager but would have to confiscate the note to prevent me using elsewhere after a few minutes arguing in which i told her to call the guards then she let me have my money back and go.

if the shop assistant was genuine she would have jumped at the chance to call the guards and let them deal with your fake note! quite obviously a "nice little earner" she has going on in the shop and i hope she gets sacked or arrested and charged for it!

freyners · 07-02-2009 10:23pm

i saw something like this happen to a customer before when she handed in a fifty

he got pure thick about it and i felt sorry for the woman behind the counter. the confiscating thing sounds dodgy though

the groutch · 07-02-2009 10:51pm

definitely get the gardai involved, sounds like a deffo scam, quite possible the manager was in on it too

Fighting Irish · 07-02-2009 10:52pm

I do this all the time, buy fake fifties, then when someone hands me a real fifty i do a swop under the counter and use the marker on the fake fifty

I'm making millions

Fighting Irish · 07-02-2009 10:53pm

eth0_ wrote: »

How is that relevant?

polish people are bad

kleefarr · 07-02-2009 11:01pm

Reeks of a scam.

What happens if after 6 months of testing the note is all black, because it's real and the print can't be seen. Bull.

They're trying to make a little extra cash for themselves I think.

Fighting Irish · 07-02-2009 11:34pm

kleefarr wrote: »

Reeks of a scam.

What happens if after 6 months of testing the note is all black, because it's real and the print can't be seen. Bull.

They're trying to make a little extra cash for themselves I think.

you think?

obviously it doesn't make a mark if its real

Fighting Irish · 07-02-2009 11:35pm

the groutch wrote: »

definitely get the gardai involved, sounds like a deffo scam, quite possible the manager was in on it too

ye and the owner, and the person leasing the shop to the owner, and that guys wife :rolleyes:

Latchy · 07-02-2009 11:38pm

No fcuking way would she have kept my note ,fake or nay .It's not her position to do so and if she did then I woukld want a reciept .

When discovered it's a real note , an apology .

Lollipops23 · 07-02-2009 11:39pm

i got told a note i handed in at the local newsagents was a fake (some years back!!) but they didn't try to confiscate it!!they don't have the authority to take your money from you of your not using it to pay for something!!bull!defo have a wordf with the manager.

Mr. Presentable · 07-02-2009 11:43pm

latchyco wrote: »

No fcuking way would she have kept my note ,fake or nay .It's not her position to do so and if she did then I would want a receipt .
When discovered it's a real note , an apology .

So, which is it? Huh?

The law requires they keep it and call the Gardai.

Latchy · 07-02-2009 11:49pm

nipplenuts wrote: »

So, which is it? Huh?

The law requires they keep it and call the Gardai.

If you have a fake note and have ligit reason for having it ie, innocence ,then the gardai will want to know how you came to have it .But how does any innocent person know were they might have got it in change ? . Just make sure you get reciept from store person and proof if required that it is a dud note .

kleefarr · 07-02-2009 11:55pm

Fighting Irish wrote: »

you think?

obviously it doesn't make a mark if its real

Yes.
But, they were trying to convince the OP that it didn't make a mark though, so was a forgery. Now, if that was the case, all the real ones would be covered in black marks. No?

Mr. Presentable · 08-02-2009 12:01am

latchyco wrote: »

If you have a fake note and have ligit reason for having it ie, innocence ,then the gardai will want to know how you came to have it .But how does any innocent person know were they might have got it in change ? . Just make sure you get reciept from store person and proof if required that it is a dud note .

The gardai are not interested in the poor sod who got stuck with a fake bill. If, however, they find you have a pocket full of them.... Do you see?

Latchy · 08-02-2009 12:04am

nipplenuts wrote: »

The gardai are not interested in the poor sod who got stuck with a fake bill. If, however, they find you have a pocket full of them.... Do you see?

Being caught with a pocketfull of fake notes speaks volumes not just to the gardai but to anybody .The clever ones dont carry bundles of fake notes around with them .;)

There are quite a few fake £20 notes with metal strips in circulation and having seen a few , are very hard to tell from the real thing .

Mr. Presentable · 08-02-2009 12:07am

latchyco wrote: »

Being caught with a pocketfull of fake notes speaks volumes not just to the gardai but to anybody .The clever ones dont carry bundles of fake notes around with them .;)

There are quite a few fake £20 notes with metal strips in circulation and having seen a few , are very hard to tell from the real thing .

Ah, but a fake £20.00 note will not be accepted in the Euro zone anyhow. So what's the point?

Latchy · 08-02-2009 12:09am

nipplenuts wrote: »

Ah, but a fake £20.00 note will not be accepted in the Euro zone anyhow. So what's the point?

Obiously not but I dont live in Euro zone ,sorry

Mr. Presentable · 08-02-2009 12:12am

latchyco wrote: »

Obiously not but I dont live in Euro zone ,sorry
There are quite a few fake £20 notes with metal strips in circulation and having seen a few , are very hard to tell from the real thing .

So what is the point of this, then?

Latchy · 08-02-2009 12:15am

nipplenuts wrote: »

So what is the point of this, then?

Well the thread is about fake 50 Euro notes .But does'nt the same logic /law apply to any notes , be they Euro , £ Dollar or whatever .?

mikemac · 08-02-2009 12:17am

Sounds like a nice little earner for that staff member.
But it's too late to do anything now as if you go back and complain you look like someone with a grudge.

If it happens again, demand a manager and get them to call to the gardai.

Mr. Presentable · 08-02-2009 12:18am

latchyco wrote: »

Well the thread is about fake 50 Euro notes .But does'nt the same logic /law apply to any notes , be they Euro , £ Dollar or whatever .?

No, the thread is about the OP's particular and specific experience.

Latchy · 08-02-2009 12:22am

nipplenuts wrote: »

No, the thread is about the OP's particular and specific experience.

It is , and you I and a few other gave advice on what we would, or should, do in same situation .But you decided to question me about my knowledge of fake notes and how one should or should not handle situation , how Ironic .

siobhan.murphy · 08-02-2009 12:24am

name and shame

darc · 08-02-2009 11:40am

There's a very simple way of knowing if a note is fake or not. No pen / ultra violet needed.

Just lightly rub your finger on the top left of the note and you'll feel the braille marks - even if the note is solied.

Its the one thing the forgers havn't been able to / not been bothered to copy.

Once you know what you're looking for, you'll do it automatically & the customer won't even notice.

As for the OP, I'd guess the staff member simply got mixed up with the instructions. If the pen leaves a mark its false, it not its real.

spurious · 08-02-2009 11:48am

darc wrote: »

As for the OP, I'd guess the staff member simply got mixed up with the instructions. If the pen leaves a mark its false, it not its real.

A much more likely scenario than the 'robbing foreigner' theory.

IsThatSo? · 08-02-2009 1:19pm

spurious wrote: »

A much more likely scenario than the 'robbing foreigner' theory.

Possibly, BUT every €50 note that went through her hands that day would have been forged, to her knowledge that is. Erm, personally I would question my knowledge if every €50 note presented to me was a "forgery".

I am glad OP posted this, IF it is a scam then its good to be forewarned

dudara · 08-02-2009 1:37pm

I don't believe that it is appropriate to name the shop in this thread. Although the actions of the shop assistant may cause suspicion, there is no evidence of any wrongdoing.

However, I would be interested to hear if anyone knows what to do in such a situation, i.e. if a shop attempts to confiscate a suspect banknote.

dudara

foggy_lad · 08-02-2009 4:11pm

spurious wrote: »

A much more likely scenario than the 'robbing foreigner' theory.

possibly more likely but when the actions of the shop assistant are taken and her reluctance to have the op call the guards makes her look guilty as sin.

Latchy · 08-02-2009 4:18pm

Shop assistant must give you a reciept if she confiscates the note. Then she call's the gaurds .But no way do you just give it to her and walk away . It's the gaurds who decide what action must be taken next .

bren2002 · 08-02-2009 4:23pm

Yes, name the shop. It's not libellous if it's true.

Richard · 08-02-2009 4:29pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Report her to management without a doubt.

"Confiscate" it?

I wouldn't stand for it, that's for sure.

If you suspect that a note is fake, then legally you can't pass of back to the customer - you must confiscate it. Though in this case it seems that the shop worker was wrong in suspecting it to be fake.

foggy_lad · 08-02-2009 4:32pm

dudara wrote: »

I don't believe that it is appropriate to name the shop in this thread. Although the actions of the shop assistant may cause suspicion, there is no evidence of any wrongdoing.

However, I would be interested to hear if anyone knows what to do in such a situation, i.e. if a shop attempts to confiscate a suspect banknote.

dudara

afaik if you have already handed the note over as payment the shop has the right to retain it and in this situation it would be usual for the guards to be called.

darc · 08-02-2009 4:56pm

bren2002 wrote: »

Yes, name the shop. It's not libellous if it's true.

It is libellous as it was an employeee of the shop who may have made an error and unless you have proof that it was policy of the store, and proof that the store itself deliberately set out to deceive the customer then anything said in a negative way affecting the store owner or his/her business is libellous.

The good thing about the OP is that it warns people taht there is a possiblity of a probelm. But I would almost certainly think that it was an error by a new staff member in a store taht does not get a huge number of €50 notes - does anyone really think something like this would be able to get by ordinary everyday customers for more than a couple of hours without raising suspicions??

I'm going for error in this case.

mikemac · 08-02-2009 4:59pm

Best not to directly name and shame

Now tell us OP, do you know any good local shops in your area? One in particular?

SouthKerry · 08-02-2009 10:35pm

At least give us the name of the town?

Zab · 08-02-2009 10:49pm

darc wrote: »

I'm going for error in this case.

Did we read different OPs?

OP wrote:

I told her its not the marker hasnt changed colour and she said its a new one if it doesnt turn colour its fake. then she kindly offered to not tell the manager but would have to confiscate the note to prevent me using elsewhere

Here the employee implies that she knows the markers turn black when the note is fake, but says this is a "new" marker that blackens real notes. She offers not to tell the manager but still confiscate the note, so how is she going to dispose of this note now that she's not following proper channels? Using her pocket I would imagine.

OP wrote:

when i asked for the manager i was told they were not available at the minute and i could wait if i wanted if i wasnt in a hurry i would have

And now we can't even talk to the manager about any of this, the same one that was supposed to be on hand before.

If OP's statements are true, then I'd say the overwhelming likelihood is that this was an attempted robbery. I'm also pretty surprised that people don't think OP should go back and speak with the manager, even though it obviously would have been better to talk to the manager at the time. I don't understand how you'd look like somebody with a grudge rather than somebody rightfully annoyed at the attempted robbery, and it's pretty obvious that if the note was fake you wouldn't have gone back. There's the potential for the situation to turn a little ugly, but that would have been the case if the manager had been available to begin with anyway.

Accused of trying to use a fake €50 note

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