Pass it on

                        AIKEN, S.C. - A bank teller in Clearwater had a million reasons not to open an account for an Augusta, Ga., man Monday, authorities said. Alexander D. Smith, 31, was charged with disorderly conduct and two counts of forgery after he walked into the bank and tried to open an account by depositing a fake $1 million bill.

Was this a cry for help, or what? I think this guy must have wanted to be jailed. First of all, the government doesn't print $1 million bills. And secondly, look at the condition of the bill he passed. It's all torn up and smudged, as if it accidentally got put through the wash a time or two. Why would that be true of a bill worth a million? I bet somebody gave it to him. Jail might be a kindness.

Comments

[Dan]

Note that in the picture, it looks like some conscientious soul has tested the bill with one of those markers that show a certain color if the bill is legit. I absolutely love the fact someone made it, let alone tried to pass it -- *everyone* knows that Grover Cleveland is on the 1,000-dollar bill, right? (And just for the holidays, here's a handy guide to whose picture has been on what.)

[Dan]

Oh, darn it -- the handy guide: http://www.ustreas.gov/education/faq/currency/portraits.shtml#q2

[Lori]

It's also got those little pen marks the grocery store uses to determine if your $20 is trickery. Hmm...so at least three grocery stores took it as a real bill, so it must be okay. Yup. That's what I'm thinking.