Be careful at your BANK

[mightwin]

Tuesday I cashed a check at the bank and went straight out to the casino.  One of the twenties the bank gave me didn't work in any machine.  I gave it to a change lady to switch out.  Suddenly I have 4 security guards around me asking for ID.  Turns out the bank gave me a counterfeit $20.  The guard informed me that secret service would get my ID info and the $20 and a report would be filed.  I thought I was going to be arrested.
 
I went back to the bank and told them and asked what happens now.  The head teller said it couldn't have come from their bank - the machines would "catch it".  I asked her what happens to cash brought it for deposits - do they get tested before they're back given out?  No answer.  No refund of the funny twenty.  Not even a lame mumbled sorry.  I was just s**t out of luck.
 
Lesson learned - have money tested right in front of me from now on. 
 
 

[oej719]

That sucks. I would change banks and tell them why.

[royal flush]

the govt just seizes the bill you are out $20 i would tell your bank and give them acopy. it is like losing $20 without a fight

[mightwin]

I requested documentation from the casino and brought in back to the bank with me.  The bank still did nothing for me.  I would have thought a half-hearted apology, at least.  Nope.
 
This ain't over yet.  And no - I'm not going away without a fight, but I'll have that fight with someone in top management - not a local teller.
 
I thought my question about cash deposits and testing before putting back on the streets deserved an answer. 

[rascal]

You can't prove the bill came from the bank. The casino can't prove it came from you. You should have demanded the change for the $20 bill you gave the change lady unless they could prove on video from the eye in the sky that it was your $20. How many $20's do you think the change lady had? Was she trying to get rid of a bad $20 she got stuck with earlier? Was the casino trying to get rid of bad $20's it got stuck with and you were one of the suckers? Stop rolling over and playing dead when you are accused of something without hard evidence to prove it.

[royal flush]

good answer

[mightwin]

I handed the bill to the change lady, and before she even opened her pouch, she checked it with one of those markers.  It turned black.  There was no question that it was the bill I handed her.
 
You're right Rascal - I cannot prove it came from the bank. 
 
I stupidly (and blindly) assumed the banks could/would not let counterfeit money return to circulation.  I would have never believed this could happen.
 
I wonder what would have happened if I had tried to deposit it in a bank? 

[ginxxxx]

This happened to me once in LV, I had a couple of twentys that the machines would not accept.  A nearby slot attendant noticed and offered to... & then exchanged them for replacements.Just a thought, you could buy one of those markers at Staples or likewise and  (publicly) check every bill your bank hands you!

[faygo]

Oh good, as if we don't have enough to worry about, along comes Madoff Bank & Trust.

[marie meijer]

On our first trip to gorgeous Costa Rica, my husband took in $200 in counterfeit bills on the streets of San Jose. It was our first day there. Streets were jammed with people. Lines at the banks were unbelievable. Guide books warned not to exchange money on the streets because of the counterfeiting. "I can't watch this!" TWO very American-looking and sounding con artists handled the exchange with a large stack of colon (sic, their $) When I walked over, fearful when the second guy showed up, one said the police were coming. One grabbed the colon (s?) and handed my husband back $200, which my husband quickly counted. The two vanished easily among the crowds. MUCH later, after enduring the long bank lines, the teller said they were counterfeit, left the window and produced a copy of the bills. They kept our money. No police, no questioning, no description of the two was requested, no mug shots or jail for us. Whew! Apparently they are used to it. I had wanted to study that copy of the money later for comparison but it mysteriously disappeared from my luggage where we were staying. Today, there may be ATM machines there as there are all over Europe. etc., making travelers checks mostly obsolete. Other than that and SIX other major mishaps it was a beautiful and memorable trip!