Bay Area Cub Scout troop scammed with counterfeit $100 bill
PLEASANT HILL, Calif. (KTVU) - A Pleasant Hill Cub Scout troop is out $100 after someone used a counterfeit bill during a fundraiser the young cubs were holding.
Cub Scout Pack 282 was selling popcorn outside a grocery store in Walnut Creek on Sept. 10, as part of its "Show and Sell" fundraising event.
The troop's fundraising chair, Lorie Tuey, said someone paid for the popcorn with a $100 bill.
Tuey took the bill and placed it into the Cub's account.
But it wasn't until later, when she went to the bank to deposit the money, that she learned her troop had been victims of a scam.
A teller at the bank informed her the money is fake, and as is policy, could not accept the counterfeit bill.
A number of merchants in Petaluma said they have been hit by scammers trying to pay with counterfeit money.
Petaluma police said the incidents appear to come in waves and suspect a group from outside the area is behind the scam.
Police showed KTVU Fox 2 some of the confiscated bills investigators are holding in evidence.
"Here's a poor attempt at a watermark," said Lt. Tim Lyons as he pointed to one bill, showing a face that appeared to be drawn-on with pen.
Investigators advise merchants to avoid becoming victims by paying close attention, especially if someone hands them a big bill for a small purchase.
Tuey said she turned in the bogus bill to Walnut Creek police in hopes that the scammers get caught.
She said in all of her seven years of running the popcorn fundraiser for the Scouts, this is the first time anything like this has happened.