Lancet Jades
05-29-2004, 04:35 PM
Woman Gets Fake $20 From ATM
Bank Wouldn't Exchange Fake Bill For Real One
Rick Earle (target11@wpxi.com), Target 11 Investigator
POSTED: 4:39 pm EDT May 28, 2004
UPDATED: 5:07 pm EDT May 28, 2004
PITTSBURGH -- Most people withdraw money from an ATM almost daily, never thinking we could possibly get stuck with a counterfeit bill. But one local couple found out that really can happen.
Betty Weiss got $300 out of a National City Bank ATM machine at the Richland Mall Thursday and when she was counting the money, she noticed that one of the 20s didn't look quite right.
"I counted the money and it looked really strange. It looked like it was almost blue," she said.
Compared to a real $20 bill, the counterfeit bill was smaller and the color is off. Behind the columns on a real $20 was white and on the fake one was green.
Weiss says she immediately went into the bank and told a teller. She had her receipt, but the bank refused to give her another $20.
"Basically, they told me it was my $20, my tough luck (and) that I was an unfortunate victim of fraud," Weiss said.
National City Bank spokesman Bill Eiler said employees are trained to verify the cash in the ATM every day. And he said in the 12 years he's been with the bank, this is only the second counterfeit bill that's turned up in an ATM.
Eiler said if Weiss had been a National City customer, the bank would have credited her account. But because she's not he said the tellers did the right thing.
"We can't exchange it because it sets the wrong precedent. We have no proof that she got that out of our machine. To protect the bank, we can't do that," Eiler said.
Weiss and her husband, Rob, don't agree.
"They charged me a $1.50 for the service of providing money, not counterfeits. So I think they have a responsibility to make good," he said.
Friday, as a good faith effort, Eiler said that the bank will exchange a real $20 for the bogus bill.
The Secret Service confirmed it's seen an increase in counterfeit $20 bills in Allegheny County and said several investigations are under way.
Bank Wouldn't Exchange Fake Bill For Real One
Rick Earle (target11@wpxi.com), Target 11 Investigator
POSTED: 4:39 pm EDT May 28, 2004
UPDATED: 5:07 pm EDT May 28, 2004
PITTSBURGH -- Most people withdraw money from an ATM almost daily, never thinking we could possibly get stuck with a counterfeit bill. But one local couple found out that really can happen.
Betty Weiss got $300 out of a National City Bank ATM machine at the Richland Mall Thursday and when she was counting the money, she noticed that one of the 20s didn't look quite right.
"I counted the money and it looked really strange. It looked like it was almost blue," she said.
Compared to a real $20 bill, the counterfeit bill was smaller and the color is off. Behind the columns on a real $20 was white and on the fake one was green.
Weiss says she immediately went into the bank and told a teller. She had her receipt, but the bank refused to give her another $20.
"Basically, they told me it was my $20, my tough luck (and) that I was an unfortunate victim of fraud," Weiss said.
National City Bank spokesman Bill Eiler said employees are trained to verify the cash in the ATM every day. And he said in the 12 years he's been with the bank, this is only the second counterfeit bill that's turned up in an ATM.
Eiler said if Weiss had been a National City customer, the bank would have credited her account. But because she's not he said the tellers did the right thing.
"We can't exchange it because it sets the wrong precedent. We have no proof that she got that out of our machine. To protect the bank, we can't do that," Eiler said.
Weiss and her husband, Rob, don't agree.
"They charged me a $1.50 for the service of providing money, not counterfeits. So I think they have a responsibility to make good," he said.
Friday, as a good faith effort, Eiler said that the bank will exchange a real $20 for the bogus bill.
The Secret Service confirmed it's seen an increase in counterfeit $20 bills in Allegheny County and said several investigations are under way.