Posted on 11/06/2010 3:16:40 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Funny money is turning up in record amounts now that computers and high-tech printers have taken the skill out of counterfeiting, the U.S. Secret Service says.
The agency said that in 2009 more than 60 percent of counterfeit bills were created on digital printers. In 1995 only 1 percent were.
"There really is no craftsmanship or workmanship in this anymore," Special Agent Scott Vogel, a 20-year veteran, told the Detroit Free Press. "If you're able to put a piece of paper in a copy machine and push a button, that's pretty much all it takes."
In the old days, investigators could identify specific counterfeiters by their style, often long before they were detected. One of the most celebrated examples was "Old Mr. 880," a nickname that came from the file number and the length of time he escaped detection, who got away with making crude $1 bills for years because no one looked at them closely.
In 2009 the Secret Service removed $182 million in counterfeit bills from circulation. That was more than twice the $79 million discovered in the previous year.
Knew of Old 880 .....agents as we see here still speak of him.
Only caught after he passed away an his tools were discovered by his landlord.....
Only made what he needed for food, rent an bus fare.....
Legendary forger.....
...learnin’ to print...all of it’s hot!
Have you heard the expression,"Don't take any wooden nickles"?
I'm old.
Yeah...if you're a moron. The Secret Service has that avenue covered. Every color copier places an almost invisible watermark on every copy that holds the machine's serial number...making it a piece of cake to track down where the copy was made.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.