Can Retailer Keep Fake Cash?

eschaton

unholyangel wrote: »

As 2 side notes.....my local force has a habit of visiting people with outstanding fines on a friday afternoon/evening......meaning they either have to pay or face the weekend in a cell until the courts open on Monday. Kudos to them being the smart ones. Their traffic counterparts could learn something from them.....they tend to sit at roundabouts to catch people speeding. I've never seen the logic in this as surely the best place to catch people would be a straight road? :think:

I expect they are waiting to see what cars go by that activate the ANPR. I am sure they know the best places to catch people speeding like hiding behind trees etc..

DTQ

I stopped a fake £20 note at Sports Direct yesterday. It was a pretty bad fake which we compared to a real one for the poor lady, who accepted it was counterfeit after we showed her the missing security features. As far as I'm aware, we don't legally have to issue a receipt, although I can't really see an issue with one being printed upon request. You must bear in mind that it's a criminal offence to hand over fake currency, whether you know it or not, but retailers don't usually contact the police if it's evident you had no idea it was fake. I feel for people who have this happen to them because you're pretty much being robbed by some incompetent buffoons at the banks who put this worthless paper in our ATMs.

shaun_from_Africa

DTQ wrote: »

You must bear in mind that it's a criminal offence to hand over fake currency, whether you know it or not

This is totally incorrect.
You are only guilty of an offence if you are aware that the note or coin is fake.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/45/section/14

15 Offences of passing etc. counterfeit notes and coins

(1)It is an offence for a person—
(a)to pass or tender as genuine any thing which is,
and which he knows or believes to be, a counterfeit of a currency note or of a protected coin; or

(b)to deliver to another any thing which is, and
which he knows or believes to be, such a counterfeit, intending that the person to whom it is delivered or another shall pass or tender it as
genuine.

(2)It is an offence for a person to deliver to
another, without lawful authority or excuse, any thing which is, and which he knows or believes to be, a counterfeit of a currency note or of a protected coin.

The_Pedant

DTQ wrote: »

As far as I'm aware, we don't legally have to issue a receipt

Ok, well look at it this way. You pay with a note which you believe to be fake but the customer does not. Who's right?

You have ultimately deprived the customer of what they believe to be legal tender, in return for nothing. Therefore they are perfectly within their rights to demand that either
- the 'money' is returned (and you accept it may not be fake),
- the police are called to settle the matter - (possibly wasting everyone's time)
- or you issue a receipt for the note until it can be properly verified by an appropriate authority as fake or real (and therefore returned in the latter case).

Failing to accept one of the three will probably just lead to very irate customers in the store. I would accept the case though if it was obviously fake.

tomwakefield

The_Pedant wrote: »

Ok, well look at it this way. You pay with a note which you believe to be fake but the customer does not. Who's right?

You have ultimately deprived the customer of what they believe to be legal tender, in return for nothing. Therefore they are perfectly within their rights to demand that either
- the 'money' is returned (and you accept it may not be fake),
- the police are called to settle the matter - (possibly wasting everyone's time)
- or you issue a receipt for the note until it can be properly verified by an appropriate authority as fake or real (and therefore returned in the latter case).

Failing to accept one of the three will probably just lead to very irate customers in the store. I would accept the case though if it was obviously fake.

Also, if no receipt is issued, what's to stop the salesman "topping up" his wages by confiscating the odd tenner here and there claiming it's fake.

Guardsman

He/she could also pass on the fake money in change.