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44267547

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Jul 12, 2016
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Is it that thing which sometimes I have seen cashiers do in walmart and such? They sort of draw a line or something on the bill. I guess usually happens with greater than $20 bills.

Correct, those pens are used for any bills that are $50 & $100 dollar bills, they have to check them per their policy/guidelines. Banks are permitted to do the exact same thing.
 
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x-evil-x

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
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3,236
Anytime you have a counterfeit bill or suspect you might have one, you can always purchase ‘counterfeit Pens’ that will indicate if the bill is real or indeed counterfeit when you mark the bill. (Banks, retail stores, etc. use these pens every single day for those exact situations).
Yea I know I got one now. I still meet only at banks if it’s anything of high amount.
 
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Böhme417

macrumors 6502a
Mar 11, 2009
992
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Anytime you have a counterfeit bill or suspect you might have one, you can always purchase ‘counterfeit Pens’ that will indicate if the bill is real or indeed counterfeit when you mark the bill. (Banks, retail stores, etc. use these pens every single day for those exact situations).

Those pens will only tell you if the material is likely counterfeit or not. You should rely on the specific security features of each denomination to determine its legitimacy.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,492
Those pens will only tell you if the material is likely counterfeit or not. You should rely on the specific security features of each denomination to determine its legitimacy.

You seem misinformed. Those counterfeit pens detect approximately the majority of fake bills, it’s impossible to alter the [water mark, transparency image markings, government seals, lint markings and date stamps] on each bill. Those markings can’t be duplicated, thus leaving the bill material is the primarily the only real of way determining the counterfeiting itself. Even with banks themselves, I’ve never seen any financial institution physically try to look for all those markings/government seals that I mentioned, they’re not trained to even know what to look for with counterfeit bills, which is why they rely on the pens themselves.
 
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x-evil-x

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
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You seem misinformed. Those counterfeit pens detect approximately the majority of fake bills, it’s impossible to alter the [water mark, transparency image markings, government seals, lint markings and date stamps] on each bill. Those markings can’t be duplicated, thus leaving the bill material is the primarily the only real of way determining the counterfeiting itself. Even with banks themselves, I’ve never seen any financial institution physically try to look for all those markings/government seals that I mentioned, they’re not trained to even know what to look for with counterfeit bills, which is why they rely on the pens themselves.
The bills I got from that guy had all those things on and in the bill. It was a newer style 100$ also. I didn’t believe it was fake till I tried depositing it in my bank and showed up as a check.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,492
The bills I got from that guy had all those things on and in the bill. It was a newer style 100$ also. I didn’t believe it was fake till I tried depositing it in my bank and showed up as a check.

Keep in mind, the material can be duplicated or close to it, all the intricate markings/seals that I mentioned, _cannot_ be. Counterfeiters don’t have printing process materials/scan tools to replicate all the counterfeiting skills perfectly. It’s basically near impossible to alter all of the counterfeiting details that are included in a bill today.

The new $100 dollar bills now have a physical strip that goes across the bill itself, almost like it looks like a piece of tape. What counterfeiters will do, is when they duplicate the bill itself, they’ll take the bills and slightly rinse them underwater, dampening them, then they take multiple fabric dryer sheets and the bills combined, put them in the dryer for like 5 to 6 minutes on high heat, and it will give it the texture that it’s actually like a genuine bill itself, then they’ll use an iron to flatten the bill out. This might sound strange, but a counterfeit bill itself will actually have a slightly different odor if you smell it compared to a genuine bill. (Yes, I’m trained to notice everything.)
 
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x-evil-x

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
5,579
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Keep in mind, the material can be duplicated or close to it, all the intricate markings/seals that I mentioned, _cannot_ be. Counterfeiters don’t have printing process materials/scan tools to replicate all the counterfeiting skills perfectly. It’s basically near impossible to alter all of the counterfeiting details that are included in a bill today.

The new $100 dollar bills now have a physical strip that goes across the bill itself, almost like it looks like a piece of tape. What counterfeiters will do, is when they duplicate the bill itself, they’ll take the bills and slightly rinse them underwater, dampening them, then they take multiple fabric dryer sheets and the bills combined, put them in the dryer for like 5 to 6 minutes on high heat, and it will give it the texture that it’s actually like a genuine bill itself, then they’ll use an iron to flatten the bill out. This might sound strange, but a counterfeit bill itself will actually have a slightly different odor if you smell it compared to a genuine bill. (Yes, I’m trained to notice everything.)
Sounds complicated.

Meet at the bank people. It’s a safe
Meetup spot and you know you’re fine with the money.
 

bigjnyc

macrumors 604
Apr 10, 2008
7,897
6,849
I have a pretty wild offerup story:

When the iphone X came out I ended up buying 2 by mistake and rather than returning one decided to sell it for a few extra bucks. So i listed it on offerup and quickly got a hit. I spoke to the guy on the phone and we agreed to meet at a mall near my house. On the day of meeting he informs me that he is in an Uber on his way.... I gave him specific directions but apparently the uber driver got lost so I had to guide them, i found this really strange because the uber app usually guides you to any location and this mall was a pretty popular place.

Anyway so he finally arrives after about an hour of being lost and at this point I am pretty weary about the whole situation but decide to proceed since I felt if this guy went through all this to get the phone I didn't want to back out on him.

when he arrives he calls me and tells me he is outside and if I can meet him outside since he'd like to take the same uber back home. So now my spidey senses are really tingling but for some idiotic reason I go outside (I kick myself to this day... I think I was exhausted and just wanted to get the thing sold already) so I meet up with the guy and he seems off like he is slow or something. So I show him the phone its brand new wrapped. he shows me the stack of cash and I ask him to let me count it.... He gestures for me to let him see the box as he hands me the cash... this is where things get interesting....

He kind of throws the cash at me and grabs the box I quickly realize that he had like 2 20's with a bunch of singles underneath..... He makes a beeline for the car which is waiting with the backdoor open.... but the driver pulls off early and the guy is running to jump in... I jump on the guy and wrestle the phone box from him.... so here we are both being semi dragged by this car, the iphone box goes flying and I grab it, roll off and run back to the mall as fast as I can.

Anyway they must have taken off because I didn't see them again. I picked up the cash he tried to give me and it was basically 2 20 dollar bills and like 30 singles. I went in to the mall and crossed over to the other side, got in my car and went home...... Luckily the number I was corresponding with him on was a google voice number... I took down the ad and returned the phone to Apple the next day.
 

x-evil-x

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
5,579
3,236
Jesus that’s bad. Always count the cash before you give them anything. You should of kept the phone in your pocket and gave him the box with nothing in it
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,492
Jesus that’s bad. Always count the cash before you give them anything. You should of kept the phone in your pocket and gave him the box with nothing in it

What I’ve done in the past, is I actually make the buyer count the cash for me slowly before I give them the product. I sold a set of Mustang GT tires/wheels last summer, and the buyer wanted the wheels first, which I said ‘count off the cash in front of me before I give you the wheels/tires’, that way I’m not distracted by counting cash with them with the product in hand.
 

rugmankc

macrumors 68020
Sep 24, 2014
2,196
648
I just trade my watches and phones into the carrier or Best Buy.

Then no one has to read my "heartbreak" stories on a Forum---;)
 

baypharm

macrumors 68000
Nov 15, 2007
1,951
973
That’s fair, but as someone that works as an L.E.O, I would always recommend meeting somewhere where there is a public safety building and camera surveillance, my theory in life, is I don’t trust anyone I don’t know, and I’d rather plan cautiously for my safety and well-being. It’s sound advice from a professional that has seen anything and everything in my line of work. [Or, another alternative is you could use the ‘buddy system’, where you bring someone with you in addition.]

And I don’t ever trust the police...
 

Aydy

macrumors 6502a
Nov 22, 2015
627
452
Desperation can make people incredibly creative, your phone for them is a guarantee to money for more drugs.

I agree fully but would add that the word “desperation” carries sympathetic undertones and sadly isn’t always the case. Sometimes theft & robbery is simple old fashioned greed and a means to an end for career criminals.
 
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alpi123

macrumors 68020
Jun 18, 2014
2,023
3,376
The same things happens on eBay. People would list them dirt cheap and when they get paid for the listing they ghost and don't send anything. It's illegal but they do it numerous of times.
 

4sallypat

macrumors 68040
Sep 16, 2016
3,497
3,302
So Calif
Remember your safety is YOUR responsibility.
The Police have NO / ZERO obligation to protect your life.
Police will respond AFTER you are maimed or dead.
So I always pack a 10mm auto before I meet in public...
 
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