Charges dropped in bogus $200 Bush bill

[PHANTOM21]

AP Press

GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Charges have been dropped against a woman who paid for clothes with a fake $200 bill that featured President Bush's picture and the serial number DUBYA4U2001.



Westmoreland County prosecutors dropped all charges Friday against Deborah L. Trautwine, 51, after she paid the store in real currency.

Trautwine wasn't aware that the bill wasn't actual legal tender, said her attorney, Harry Smail Jr.

A clerk at a Fashion Bug clothing store also apparently was fooled by the funny money.

She gave Trautwine $100.58 in change following an August transaction.

There is no $200 denomination bill, even without Bush's picture on it.

The back of the phony bill depicted the White House with several signs erected on the front lawn, including those reading "We Like Broccoli" and "USA Deserves A Tax Cut."

[Ganuple]

Originally Posted by PHANTOM21

AP Press



A clerk at a Fashion Bug clothing store also apparently was fooled by the funny money.

She gave Trautwine $100.58 in change following an August transaction.

How stupid can a person be???

[Blake]

Originally Posted by PHANTOM21

Westmoreland County prosecutors dropped all charges Friday against Deborah L. Trautwine, 51, after she paid the store in real currency.

Trautwine wasn't aware that the bill wasn't actual legal tender, said her attorney, Harry Smail Jr.

HUH? They dropped the charges because she "wasn't aware that the bill wasn't actual legal tender"? That's disgusting.

If you bought it at Spencer's, it's probably not real.

[Jason R]

Well she did pay the fine, and to be hoenst, 50% of people probably wouldn't know.

[Blake]

Originally Posted by Jason R

Well she did pay the fine, and to be hoenst, 50% of people probably wouldn't know.

I'm wondering how she acquired the bill. If she really didn't know, then that means somebody scammed her first....of course, since the article doesn't state it, we'll never know.......

[Jason R]

I think fake bills get passed on quite a bit, and people get scammed. I once cashed out somebody at the pawn shop I worked at, turned out two of the 20's were fakes. Another time I found an obviously fake bill in the register. A lot of people just don't pay attention cause its routine.

[Blake]

Originally Posted by Jason R

I think fake bills get passed on quite a bit, and people get scammed. I once cashed out somebody at the pawn shop I worked at, turned out two of the 20's were fakes. Another time I found an obviously fake bill in the register. A lot of people just don't pay attention cause its routine.

20s are a little different because, yeah, they are routine.

A $200 bill should be a red flag to most people. I thought Pennsylvania was in the top part of the "smartest states" thread........

[Jason R]

Originally Posted by Blake

20s are a little different because, yeah, they are routine.

A $200 bill should be a red flag to most people. I thought Pennsylvania was in the top part of the "smartest states" thread........

Haha.