Dilemma

[justZu]

This is a relatively minor problem, in the big scheme of things, but it is kind of a moral dilemma so I'm asking for advice.

My daughter is very excited to be going to the Valentine's dance at her school this year. She has been working hard at school so I told her we would buy her dress, if it wasn't too expensive. I gave her some money and she went to the mall with her best friend. She came home thrilled to have found a beautiful dress at Macy's for $10(at that price I'm thrilled too). However when she tried to get some food with the change, she was told that the twenty dollar bill was fake. She got counterfeit change from Macy's! I looked at the money and it appeared very real, but it felt funny and has no stripe. It was handed to her with several other bills and she didn't really notice it, just stuck it in her wallet with the rest of the change.

So, what do I do? I don't fancy storming into Macy's ranting for a real twenty. I mean, really, they don't know me. I could be the counterfeiter trying to scam some real money from them for all they know. Would they actually exchange my money if I take it back there?
I don't want to make a big fuss with the police because what can they do? They will ask the cashier and she will not know which customer gave it to her - dead end - a waste of their time.
I will not pass it on to another unsuspecting person, that's just wrong.
I know someone who manages a store and they would change it for me and deposit it with the rest of the cash at the end of the business day. I still feel like this is cheating but a large business is not an individual person. And that still does not make it right but dammit I want my $20. :(

I don't know, it feels like a circle. I don't want to cheat anyone else but I want my $20 but I don't want to cheat anyone else but I want my $20 and around and around...

[MMATM]

Involve the police. Maybe they won't catch the counterfeiter, but maybe they will. At least bring it to their attention and ask if there is any way you can get your $20 back after being given counterfeit change. While many counterfeiters will try to scam stores, I don't know of any that have tried to scam real money out of cops.

Fingerprints are unlikely on something like that, but you never know, and the police will have a heads up for when the next phony bill surfaces.

Good luck!

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Unfortunately, the US government refuses to reimburse you if you've been given counterfeit money. Had that happen to a friend once when we were working in the casino---she was given a fake $100 bill by the check cashing place, and when she tried to spend it at the casino owned grocery store, they detected it, and took it from her. She was left without money for baby formula or groceries and nearly had a breakdown over it in the middle of the store, the local sherriff finally bought her two weeks worth of formula so her baby wouldn't starve.

The Secret Service advises you to turn it in but they won't reimburse you for it. So it's really up to you what you want to do with it. Sucks but that's the way it is.

[PepperElf]

yeah i dont think you can get reimbursed legally, but there's no harm in filing out a complaint with macy's.

[Bright_Star]

I'd say take the loss. There's not much you can do to get a real 20 to replace the fake 20. You could always talk to the police & see what they say. Can't hurt.