Bogus Benjamin Franklin Turns Up In Moraga

Patch received a very nice "heads up" from Moraga business owner Susan Marconi after a customer attempted to pass a counterfeit $100 bill at two local stores in town Friday.

Susan said she wanted to warn others about the scam, which she said she luckily caught in time.

It started when a young woman calmly attempted to pass the bill at and .

"I told her the bill was counterfeit; asked her where she got it," Susan wrote. "She said it came from someone she sold furniture to from Craigslist. She did not seem the least bit nervous. I gave her back the bill and told her to go to the bank to verify it."

Susan said the police were summoned but did not arrive in time to detain the woman. Other businesses in the immediate area were notified to be on the lookout, Susan added.

Description: Female Hispanic, about 22 years old. She is about 5'7,
170lbs with heavy "Cleopatra" black eyeliner. Calm, even when confronted about the bill being bad.

The Bill: No identifying strips and did not react to black light. Does not feel like a real bill. The printing was also lighter; not faded but off in
tone.