Counterfeit money was used at several Evanston businesses in the past month, police said Monday. But many local retailers said they didn’t know fake currency was circulating or that any stores have been scammed.
Since December counterfeit $10, $20 and $100 bills have been used at businesses and others have been used to pay for food delivery to specific locations, said Deputy Chief Michael Perry of Evanston Police Department. The Daily reported last week that a fake $20 was used to pay for a ticket to an on-campus wrestling match.
Both EPD and University Police have sent the information to the Secret Service, which deals with counterfeiting cases. But police say they don’t know if the agency is investigating the incidents in Evanston.
“We just notify them,” Perry said. “They decide if they want to investigate.”
A fake $20 bill was found at the Bursar’s Office last week, said Assistant Chief Daniel McAleer of UP. An employee told police that a counting machine and another counterfeit detector indicated the bill was fake.
The cash was used pay for a ticket to the Midlands Wrestling Tournament in December, McAleer said. No other cases at NU have surfaced.
“Our only hope is that the Secret Service recognizes it from other incidents in the city,” McAleer said.
He said no extra steps have been taken to foil those trying to spend the bogus bucks but added that UP always has encouraged people who handle money to be aware of any suspicious bills.
“Just like any other businesses, opportunities arise and counterfeit bills slip by,” he said. “We do get occasional reports, but it’s not something that regularly occurs.”
EPD declined to comment on which businesses have been targeted or how much fake money has been collected.
Despite the recent spike in reported cases, some Evanston retailers said they haven’t encountered any counterfeiters in the past month.
Dean Holden, manager of Buffalo Joe’s, said he hasn’t heard about any recent counterfeiting cases from police or other businesses. He said the restaurant, located at 812 Clark St., rarely gets fake bills.
“We get a couple a year,” he said. “We don’t have a big problem with it, but it’s definitely there.”
Younger cashiers sometimes forget to use a counterfeit-money detector pen and don’t notice fake cash, Holden said. But there are telltale signs, such as the feel of the paper and a stripe down the middle of the bill.
When fake currency does show up in the register, they report it to police, Holden said. But, he added, “There’s not a lot they can do.”
At Radio Shack, 716 Church St., workers are required to check any bill worth $20 or more with a black light. Employee Brian Disouza said the decision came in November from a district manager who said counterfeit money was going around nationally but didn’t mention any specific cases in Evanston.
But not all Evanston businesses are concerned about the rise in fake bills.
Benjamin Gunti, manager of Philly’s Best, 815 Emerson St., said the restaurant doesn’t bother to use a detector pen.
“We trust people,” he said. “We believe what goes around comes around. Every time a customer comes in, it’s not good to always use the pen.”
He said customers might be offended when an employee slashes at their cash with a pen — and some might even feel the store has discriminated against them.
“Even if they did use (counterfeit money), I wouldn’t know,” he said. “We might lose $50 or $100, but we gain a customer.”
Gunti said other businesses shouldn’t be alarmed either.
“It’s all hype,” he said. “I don’t think much counterfeit stuff is going on.”
