So marking large bills is apparently bad

[pltkcelestial18]

Sorry for the wall of text. There is a TLDR at the bottom if you don't feel like reading.

*BG* So lately I've been working at least 2-3 days a week in customer service. We process a lot of money orders and money transfers, especially towards the beginning of the month, which can mean larges sums of money in one transaction and people paying with larger bills. If they have several (more than say 5), rather than holding them up and looking for the identifying marks, I'll just use a bill marker and mark them all so I won't hold up the line. *bg*

So this was the case yesterday. Well maybe an hour or less before the customer service desk closed, this "couple" (not really sure if they were together or just friends) come up and the lady was receiving money. I pointed her in the direction of the forms to fill out and helped the next customer.

I then helped her and processed her end of the money transfer. When I went to get the money, I grabbed some big bills and some 20s. Most people like having at least $100 in 20s because it spends easier, but I was also running low on 20s but had big bills from the day of money orders and money transfers. The guy wanted all big bills, so I took the 20s and gave him another big bill.

The guy then wanders back up as I just started helping the next customer. He wanted bills that didn't have stuff on it. I looked to see what he was pointing at and it was where I had marked the bills to make sure there weren't counterfeit. I explained that to him, but he wasn't having any of it. I repeated what I told him and that all my large bills had that on them. He kept making a fuss, so I called over my supervisor to deal with him.

The supervisor working last night was very much a no nonsense person, so I knew she wouldn't take anything from him. She pretty much repeated what I told him, that the bills are marked to make sure they're not counterfeit. He refused to listen and said he didn't see understand why we had to do that to them. My supervisor first suggested going to the bank we have in the store, but he wouldn't have any of that. He was still going on about the bills being marked and didn't get why. She then offered to give him 20s out of the register I wasn't using, but he didn't like them either, even pointing to something that's always on the bill asking what that was. My sup told him that was part of the bill. He then asked if he could write her name down. It sounded like he wanted someone's name in case....they didn't spend...I'm not sure exactly.

During all of this, the lady he was with was trying to get him to just calm down and leave cause she was in a hurry, but he was being rude to her. Also, she was originally the one picking up the money, but he was the one making a fuss over the money which seemed a little odd, but I figured for some reason he couldn't be sent money and it was sent to her to pick up for him.

At that point my sup took all the 20s from him and gave him the original money I had given him and told him she was done and called a manager. He stuck around for a minute or so, but ended up leaving before the manager showed up.

TL;DR Guy flips out and throws a tantrum because he wants brand new completely clean $100 bills with absolutely no markings whatsoever, even if they prove they're not counterfeit.

[BrenDAnn]

If they don't spend, it's because the place he's trying to spend them at doesn't take big bills. Of course, I'm sure he'd pitch a shit fit then, too. That said, I'm sure you're aware of this, but the marking pen is NOT a 100% sure thing as far as finding fakes. People bleach out smaller bills, reprint them as big ones, and bam... pen won't detect it. Just thought I'd point that out.

[pltkcelestial18]

Oh yea, if something seemed off about the bills then I'd definitely scrutinize them some more. Also, as far as I'm aware, we've hardly ever gotten counterfeits. Don't get me wrong, we probably have, but it's very rare, and working in customer service, they'd probably let me know so I can watch out. If I get a bunch in one transaction, I'll also randomly check a few against the light.

[RealUnimportant]

I don't know if it's the case in the US, but over here I've seen two different kinds of pens: those that mark good bills, and those that mark anything else. Where I work we use the ones that don't mark real bills, and we have also just picked up a blacklight because all but one current note has UV reactive dyes - I think I heard this is coming to the US too?

On topic: what a maroon! I can't think of any situation where marks on the notes would make any difference, especially as he's turned down small bills. Either he's receiving payment for something, in which case it's going to a bank & will get checked again; or it's been sent for him to pay to someone else, in which case he's not going to see the marks again; or he's just going to go somewhere & spend them & they'll end up being broken... Gah.

[Teskeria]

or he had a 'genius' plan to copy them and make fakes and the marks prevent that. (hey I'm exhausted, my mind isn't working well at all right now)

[XCashier]

That said, I'm sure you're aware of this, but the marking pen is NOT a 100% sure thing as far as finding fakes. People bleach out smaller bills, reprint them as big ones, and bam... pen won't detect it. Just thought I'd point that out.

Yep, the Secret Service website has a page on how to check for counterfeits.

Oh, and there will be a redesigned $100 coming out in October. Here's the link to see what it looks like ("ooooh, pretty!")

[Zellie Crescent]

It is pretty. I'm excited to see one, is that weird?

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

YOh, and there will be a redesigned $100 coming out in October. Here's the link to see what it looks like ("ooooh, pretty!")

Great. Yet another bill I can't @#$%ing use.

[evilfarmer]

Great. Yet another bill I can't @#$%ing use.

If you don't mind me asking how come? Is it that its a 100 or the redesign?

[BrenDAnn]

I was about to say it would be just one more for people to complain about. It does look pretty, though. I'll have to keep an eye out for it this fall/winter I guess.

[LesserSouthernFroglet]

Your USA notes are so much different from our Aussie notes:

http://banknotes.rba.gov.au/ausbanknotes.html#!note/100

I had trouble when I was in the USA identifying notes when in a hurry - here it's easy, they're all different colours.

And they pass through the washing machine intact!

[fireheart]

I had trouble when I was in the USA identifying notes when in a hurry - here it's easy, they're all different colours.

And they pass through the washing machine intact!

They're different sizes as well. Only subtly, but they're different sizes.
The $5 note also comes in two flavours: federation and non-federation.

Despite that, polymer notes can still be counterfeited. One popular check I used to do is crunch up the notes: real notes bounce back, fake notes don't. (if they're crumpled, you do the tear test. )

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

If you don't mind me asking how come? Is it that its a 100 or the redesign?

I complain because of the Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise.

So it's harder and harder to find a place that will take bills larger than $20.

Now I understand that restaurants and convenience stores find themselves in a bit of a pickle when someone pays for a $5 pack of smokes with a $100 bill, but when I'm paying for a $1,000 washer/dryer machine set at Best Buy...I shouldn't have to drag in a wad of cash you could use to bludgeon whales to death with (50 $20 bills).

And when said store goes through each and every $20 looking for the watermark, the security strip AND marks them with the pen taking their sweet damn time you know they're punishing you for not having a credit card.

[Food Lady]

I keep reading the title as "making large bills is apparently bad." Yes, yes it is.

[Skarredmind]

LOL once I've stated the solution if any, I kinda shut the SC off...

My the 2nd or 3rd time he asked, "I don't see why you have to mark them" my response would have been, "Oh, OK." A coworker once told me that I get a look on my fact that just screams, "What the hell is wrong with you? Do I need to talk slower for you or something?"

I just don't get some people... This though pretty well screamed poorly planned scam of some sort though.