Funny money
November 4, 2022 3:36 PM Subscribe
A store I frequent now has a sign up behind the register, which says that they no longer accept US$100 bills due to increased counterfeiting. Given how many security measures are put into this bill, as compared with lower denominations (which this store's sign says are accepted), I find this difficult to believe. Is there credible reporting on how this phenomenon is recently on the rise, to the extent that more businesses are now refusing to accept US$100 bills?
It's probably not a larger issue-- I'm guessing the store got hit by local counterfeiters a couple times recently. They may also have change flow issues (early in the day, if one person breaks a $100 that drawer may also be out of commission until someone can go to the bank and get change, which is a pain in the neck if you are understaffed.)
Also, even if we have new bills, the old bills are still floating around and more liable to be counterfeit. It is easier for a cashier to just say "No hundreds" than to say "This specific bill looks sketchy, do you have anything else?"
posted by blnkfrnk at 3:46 PM on November 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
Also, even if we have new bills, the old bills are still floating around and more liable to be counterfeit. It is easier for a cashier to just say "No hundreds" than to say "This specific bill looks sketchy, do you have anything else?"
posted by blnkfrnk at 3:46 PM on November 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Sorry to threadsit, but I'm looking for cites, if possible. There are other stores I frequent where US$100 bills are not accepted, but no reason is provided.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 3:52 PM on November 4, 2022
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 3:52 PM on November 4, 2022
Best answer: This has been an issue in the San Francisco Bay Area since at least 2015 and is still ongoing. It is specifically $100 bills, and they are circulating throughout the U.S., but mostly made in CA.
posted by assenav at 4:04 PM on November 4, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by assenav at 4:04 PM on November 4, 2022 [6 favorites]
Don’t have a cite, but there are also still a lot of older $100 bills in circulation that don’t have some of the newer security measures like the 3-D security ribbon. I think it would be more contentious for a merchant to only refuse certain $100 bills, and if you are mostly dealing with smaller transactions, just refusing all $100s may be easiest.
(It also doesn’t help that the $100 has the fluorescent strip that glows the least under UV light, in my experience.)
posted by jimw at 4:18 PM on November 5, 2022
(It also doesn’t help that the $100 has the fluorescent strip that glows the least under UV light, in my experience.)
posted by jimw at 4:18 PM on November 5, 2022
« Older Creamiest mashed potatoes, polenta, etc.? | Buying a rollator in person in the Twin Cities Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 3:38 PM on November 4, 2022