telling us that our Obama Dollars aren't real
Posted on 01/30/2014 6:53:38 AM PST by shove_it
NEW YORK CITY — It’s all about the Benjamins.
An international counterfeiting ring has been pumping millions of dollars in phony $100 bills into New York and other cities in the metropolitan area in the past several years, forcing the Secret Service to step up its operation to shut it down, sources told "On The Inside."
Federal officials are tracking the mules who smuggle bogus bills into the country and distributing an alert to New York businesses, banks and security industry personnel that teaches how to detect the fake C-notes, a copy of which DNAinfo New York obtained.
The counterfeit cash appears to have been manufactured on offset printing machines using plates and ink, rather than on more sophisticated copiers, according to Michael Seremetis, the assistant special agent in charge of the New York Secret Service office.
The loot is produced in bulk and bundled into packages that are smuggled in luggage or carried on planes by couriers who get about 40-cents on the dollar to put the fakes into circulation.
“The network is similar to that of the narcotics trade,” Seremetis explained. “It is distributed via a sophisticated network that involves several mules who do the passing of the notes here in the tri-state area.”
The Secret Service warning says the bills contain a set of five different serial numbers and have two black 7s above the last zero on the lower right-hand corner, above the “100” mark on the back of the bill.
Although the Super Bowl game is taking place in the New York City area, officials are downplaying any connection between those festivities and the timing of their warning — and insist counterfeiters are not using the big game as a convenient time to pass off their funny money.
The counterfeit cash frequently turns up in clubs, bars and casinos, officials said. Department stores over holiday periods are typical targets.
Officials say that if you have a phony $100 that is confiscated, you will lose the value of the money but can declare a tax loss at the end of the year.
“We are asking the public to let us know if they encounter these bills,” Seremetis said.
Officials asked anyone with information to call the Secret Service's New Haven office at (203) 865-2449, or the NYPD at 1-800-577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
Since that’s the price of a cup of coffee in NYC Starbucks better watch out.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome you on-board Air Bernanke, with nonstop service to Bankruptcy. At this time we would like to direct you to the placard placed in front of you, there are two exits on our Fokker aircraft, one in front, one in the back...and you’re in the middle, LOL!...we also ask that you kindly keep your arse in the upright position and your head securely locked in the overhead compartment, we’ll try to make your(last)trip as pleasant as possible, thank you for flying Air Bernanke”
At the risk of sounding like I’m making an obvious understatement, that image is more than disturbing.
Whats the point aren’t they pretty much worth the same?
I am deeply offended that these 100 dollar bills are being referred to as “illegal”. The proper thing to do is call them “undocumented currency”. Personally I think that any hundred dollar bill that has been in NYC for more than a week has earned the right to be legal American tender.
(At the end of the day this is all about the Federal Reserve resenting the competition!)
I wouldn't put it past The PRESidENT to have a personal payoff buried somewhere in the bowels of his recent NUC deal with the Mullahs.
Haven't they earned the right to be used?
No big surprise. It is super bowl week.... lots of folks wandering around doing nefarious things
This is what happens when you change the money all the time. While the new bill might be harder to replicate nobody knows what the money is supposed to look like anymore so they’ll take any damn thing you give them.
Folks rest easy. These are simply $100 dollar bills coming in to do the work that U. S. $100 dollar bills have chosen not to do.
These $100 bills can be used to pay for the education, E.R. visits, the housing subsidies, the low income subsidies, and the many more things foreign nationals need in the U. S., so we should be thankful for that.
These $100 bills help the economy.
These $100 bills are one of God’s blessings too.
These $100 bills are good $100 bills, and they should never be referred to with demeaning words like, illegal, counterfeit, or destructive.
And besides, it’s not these $100 bills fault that the nation they came from valued them so little, that they could only find worth by sneaking into the United States and working here.
And try to remember, all the little $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, and $50 dollar bills in your pocket these $100s birth in the U. S. each year, in change. They are legal, because they were printed on U. S. soil.
You can’t send those $100 bills home and leave their offspring here.
My fav lines from the article:
“Officials say that if you have a phony $100 that is confiscated, you will lose the value of the money but ... “We are asking the public to let us know if they encounter these bills,” Seremetis said.”
Wonder how many people are eager to do that? Might get more satisfaction in lighting cigars with the funny money. The gov should at least offer a percentage reward for cooperation from LEGITIMATE MERCHANTS: that would shut down these rings a lot quicker. Seems like if these fools otherwise offer rewards for every other crime but counterfeiting they might alter their policy a bit for that crime too.
HAH! That’s been going on for years in our government!
I haven’t seen a hundred dollar bill in so long, I wouldn’t know what one would look like ::shrug::
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