Laurence Dollimore
A US expat has sounded the alarm after discovering he was handed fake money in southern Spain.
Jim Wasserman was left feeling like an American idiot after his cleaner returned to his home in Granada to complain that she was given the fake cash as payment.
The 58-year-old, from Dallas, Texas, told the Olive Press he is not sure who may have handed him the phoney money but did say he often breaks large amounts of €50 notes in supermarkets in the city centre.
“I can’t be sure,” he said, “but my general procedure is to get 50s at the ATM, then break them at Mercadona or another supermercado (because no one else wants to accept a 50).
“I actually gave it to pay my cleaning lady and she brought it back the following week!”
The fake note appears to be the real deal from a distance.
But a quick examination would reveal that there is no magnetic strip.
It also reads ‘this is not legal, it is used for motion props only’, down the side of the bill.
Jim, who writes popular expat blog yourthirdlife.com, warned fellow expats to check their cash.
“I know it happens everywhere, but just remember to check your change, even if you are in a hurry!”
