The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 53, December 18, 2005, Article 11

MARKING PEN LEADS TO CONFISCATION OF GENUINE CASH

On December 11, the Cape Gazette of Delaware reported
another case of genuine bills being falsely deemed
counterfeit by a teller using a marking pen:

"Disabled veteran Rob Stevens of Millsboro cashed his
U.S. Federal Reserve monthly disability check at a
Millsboro bank shortly after 9 a.m., Dec. 1, and
closed out his account there.

As Stevens later explained to police, he immediately
took the slightly more than $2,000 - mostly in $50 bills
- to the Sussex County Federal Credit Union on Route 1
in Lewes, where he wanted to open a new account.

When Stevens handed the money to the teller, who used
a marker to check the $50 notes, Stevens' world turned
upside down. The teller told him the money was counterfeit.

His life savings were confiscated as evidence and a six-day
investigation ensued."

"Cpl. Jeff Oldham, state police spokesman, said the
marker used by the credit union teller to test the
money might have been defective. Counterfeit currency
markers have been advertised on line since 1998 as highly
effective - but not perfect - tools for detecting bad U.S.
or universal currency."

"The pens are designed to make an amber mark on good
currency and a dark brown or black mark on bills that
are probably counterfeit."

"Stevens said after receiving the call that he was
greatly relieved to learn state police had solved the
case and were returning the stack of $50 bills he had
tried to deposit at the credit union."

To read the complete story, see: Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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