Area salons targeted in counterfeit bill scam
Several salons in the Coachella Valley have recently fallen victim to a counterfeit bill scam. The ruse is simple and specific; a man comes to the salon, asks to purchase a particular product, tenders his cash, strictly hundred dollar bills, then leaves.
“He wanted Moroccan oil, so she pulled out the shampoo and conditioner and brought it over to him and rang up the sale,” says Karryn Gregory, the owner of Salon Gregory’s in Palm Desert. “She handed her the money…she just took it, he wanted a receipt, and that was it.”
But upon further review, the Benjamins prove to be bogus.
The story read similarly at Infinity Hair Salon in La Quinta, but the scam was sniffed out before the transaction could be completed, and they were able to catch culprit on camera.
One of the easiest ways to check if a bill is counterfeit is to use a money detector pen. After making a small mark on the bill, if a yellow or gold mark shows up, the bill is authentic. A dark mark means the bill is a fake.
The U.S. Department of Treasury said the first thing you should do if you think you have a fake bill call your local police department. Do not return the bill to the person who gave it to you. Try to remember what they looked like and get their license number and only give the bill to a police officer or secret service agent.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department expects more people to come forward. Deputies said if this has happened to you contact your local law enforcement agency.
More: I-Team and Stands for You investigations
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