Can you be arrested for using a counterfeit bill?

This has occurred to me several times but I have not seen this question addressed.

If I use a bill and it turns out to be counterfeit, will they arrest ME? Why? Are we now expected to have traced every bill we use? They might call the police, (I think they're supposed to, especially if they "confiscate" my money, isn't that called robbery?) but beyond asking me if I remember how I came to have the money why will the police do anything else? I'm pretty much the only victim here (I'm losing my money, and getting nothing for it) WHY are they arresting ME?

Thank you for your answer(s)

 

Yes trying to spend counterfeit currency is a federal felony crime. You aren't responsible for counterfeiting if you took the bill in change and you wouldn't be prosecuted. You would certainly be questioned about where you got the bill. If you were the counterfeiter or bought the bills from a counterfeiter you would certainly be charged with a federal felony.

 

@fmw is correct. You would only be "in trouble" if you had a printing press and ink at your place. Otherwise, the authorities just want to trace it back as far as possible to catch the actual counterfeiters.

 

A few days ago I made a purchase with 250 $20 bills. We were counting bills when the guy I was doing business with started snickering and asked if I got the bills from George Floyd. There has been so much race baiting and law enforcement controversy surrounding that case I had forgotten the funny money. It took me a minute to catch his meaning.

Anyway, we agreed statistically there certainly could be counterfeit bills in the stack but neither of us had the inclination to try and determine if that was the case or not. The deal was done with neither of us worried about any consequences.

I’m much more concerned about being robbed by law enforcement under civil asset forfeiture laws than being grilled by the secret service.

 

anyone that handles a lot of cash can tell by the feel. there are indicator pens, ultraviolet light, and watermarks. i have several counterfeit bills in my "collection." all have been trouble.

 

So, okay, just what WERE they arresting Floyd for then?

 

My brother once got a counterfeit 5 dollar bill back in change at a local convenience store, it was so obviously phony it could have been monopoly money, guess the stores owner decided to shuck it off so's HE didn't eat the loss. For the coming question my brother, like many others do, just shoved the change in his pocket and went on about his business and didn't notice until he pulled it out at home. I told him he should mail it to the Secret Service demanding a real one in return (joking), he dropped it at the police station and that was last of it.

 

The clerk determined that it was a counterfeit bill and tried to get Floyd to come back, but Floyd refused. Therefore, Floyd knew he was passing a counterfeit bill.

 

Interesting. I just looked up the marking pens and found it’s an iodine/starch reaction that indicates counterfeit “paper”. Interesting history of the product. I’m going to post the link in case others are interested...
https://www.drimark.com/everything-...yPuER44UTWQTjlxCi9I5axtdXVIL4lHgaAmzREALw_wcB

What do you mean “all have been trouble”?

 

I don't know US law but I would expect that you'd have to be knowingly trying to pass a counterfeit for you to be convicted a criminal offence. I suspect that in most cases, a store owner/staff wouldn't even bother calling the police for a single bill but if they did, I wouldn't expect you to be arrested just for having the counterfeit. They'd obviously want to know where you got it from, to try to trace the source and to try to confirm that you really didn't know.

They would presumably also confiscate it. That wouldn't be the police stealing money from you though, since by that point it's already been established that it isn't really money. Whoever passed you the counterfeit will be the one who robbed you (or at least the last person in the chain who knew it was counterfeit). I'd say there is a certain responsibility on anyone handling cash to be aware of the risk and check money they're receiving but ultimately, whoever ends up with a counterfeit note is just going to be the unlucky one who is out of pocket. At that point, someone is going to loose out either way so why not you rather than anyone else?

 

First, let me start by saying that I have NOT been following this case or the trial at all. I've seen more than enough racism and police brutality to last me a lifetime.

So, I just read some of the articles posted online. From what I read, Floyd was asked to return to the store to talk to the manager about what the clerk said appeared to be a counterfeit $20 bill. Floyd refused twice so the manager called the police and it escalated from there.

I answered your original question with the assumption that you (the person in your hypothetical question) did not KNOWINGLY use a counterfeit bill. If I'm not mistaken, it is illegal to pass counterfeit money if you know it's not real.

 

Trying to pass a counterfeit bill in addition to being high and combative tends to get you arrested...

 

say a regular customer gives you a ten that was printed up on a color printer. she is 70 years old and hasn't done anything like that before or since. i don't think she made the thing or knows where she got it. easier to take it in and replace it from the tip jar than to call in the treasury dept.

 

Being black, and not being obedient. Had he been white, and disobedient, he would have just gotten a ticket, or the cops would have sided with him and told the store clerk to claim it with their insurance company, and just write a report.

 

How did they prove knowingly? The store clerk could have switched it out and placed blame on the black guy to avoid getting in trouble for having a counterfit bill in his till..who would doubt the clerks story?

 

I haven't really followed the case at all (it sickens me). My understanding is there is a video of the clerk looking at the bill intently and then telling his manager. From that, I'm assuming the recording shows how the clerk got possession of the bill (Floyd handing it to him).

Martin is the cashier that accepted the bill. I am unclear on why he concluded that Floyd didn't know the bill was counterfeit.

 

Ah, I see. So really no trouble for anyone. I’d do the same thing. What do you plan to do with your collection? Wouldn’t a collection be a bit suspicious? I’d probably keep them as a novelty as well, just wondering if there could be consequences to that.

 

in a cigar box with assorted foreign currency and a clinton $3 bill? my heirs will be wondering what to to with it, i suppose.

 

Since you can be arrested for this, it was a good choice. He also was on parole and this was a violation, as were all the narcotics he had on him. Which, like again in 2019, he tried to swallow when the cops showed up.

 

Nope if the teller or person recognizes it you simply forfeit the money.. You get caught purposely passing the bills then yes..

 

That's the question. Did the police think George Floyd had a printing press?

I've been on and off following the trial, but I don't remember the defense bringing that up yet. I'm sure they'll explain it at some point.

 

The clerk identified the bill as counterfeit and tried to get Floyd to come back. Floyd refused. At that point, it made no difference whether Floyd printed the bill or someone else did.

 

By the way, you do not need a printing press. You can make a copy with a scanner and printer.

 

The penalties for using counterfeit money are fines of $15,000 or more and 15 years in prison. Using or manufacturing counterfeit bills is considered criminal fraud, and even accidental or unintentional use of counterfeit cash is illegal. Penalties for unknowingly using counterfeit money vary by state but typically involve imprisonment and fines of $1,000 or more.

 

Possesion is the law. Floyed no longer possed the bill the clerk did. Going back in would have been stupid.

Especially since Floyd didn't know it was counterfeit to begin with. Or if Floyd even gave him that bill.