Conterfeit money

Sadly it happens all over. I took the cash from my Girl Scout troops cookie booth to a local bank and someone paid for cookies with a counterfeit $20. 😔

Tourist are more susceptible to counterfeit currency. We're not as familiar with the look and feel of what is foreign currency to us.

During a visit to China, what was a very good price for a Forbidden Palace souvenir book (something like 20 yuan) became expensive when we got rubles as change from a 100 yuan note. (Russian currency is "cheaper" than Chinese currency by multiples).

Two lessons learned. First, know what the local currency is suppose to look like. Second, don't use large denomination bills when dealing with street merchants or other suspect vendors. Better to ask your hotel desk to break large bills.

Way back on my first trip to Paris I wanted to buy a bottle of Evian from a newsstand. I didn't quite understand the price, so instead of giving him the equivalent of $5 I gave him $50!

Luckily he was honest enough to hand it back and take the right bill from my hand.

A friend years ago saw a scarf in Venice that she liked and thought it was a certain price. come to find out later her math was bit off and it had an extra zero on it! but she still liked it.

Your replies are so true- bad money can be anywhere. I had forgotten that my own small town had conterfeit money circulating- a high school student was printing off $20 bills with his computer!
My trip to Paris was otherwise perfect!! Everyone was very kind and patient with all our 'tourist' questions, I felt totally safe, and the food was wonderful!
I must go back!

Watch out for Turkish lira that are given as change instead of euros. Almost the same size.