The search is on for the person who used counterfeit money to rip off several Girl Scout troops in St. Mary’s County, Maryland.
The Girl Scouts were selling Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos and other popular cookies when someone used phony $20 bills to pay.
Molly Smith, 13, with Girl Scout Troop 10005, was selling cookies outside the GameStop in California, Maryland, when she said an older man handed them what turned out to be fake cash.
“I didn’t know it was fake, because I don’t think I thought about it. And then my mom picked it up. She was like, ‘Oh, this is fake,’” she said.
Smith said the man gave them $20, took one box of cookies and received $10 in real change from the girls.
“He was definitely maximizing on the change that he was going to get,” Gloria Dempsey, the troop leader, told WTOP.
ALisa Casas, with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, said they responded to two calls Sunday from Girl Scout troops who received counterfeit bills.
Casas said they are searching for the person responsible and didn’t mince words when asked what she’d like to say to that person.
“Shame on you! What a terrible crime to perpetrate on young girls who are really trying to raise funds for their troops throughout the community,” Casas said.
Dempsey said she was contacted by a third troop Monday, which found counterfeit money in cash collected from their stand this weekend as well. She said it’s sad someone chose to target not just their troop, but others in the county as well.
“It’s pretty despicable that you’re going to do this to a bunch of girls who were only making around 20% off of each box of cookies that we sell,” Dempsey said.
Smith said what happened has left her “a little disappointed,” but they plan to be back out next weekend with their stand as they raise money for a troop trip to Europe.
A second troop, Girl Scout Troop 10093 said they were given $40 in fake bills and at least five boxes of cookies to the scammer. They also trying to recoup some of the losses.
“I think it just makes me more resilient and … knowing so I am aware that it could happen and that there are people like that out there that I can watch out for next time,” Smith said.
Dempsey said Girl Scouts is about building courage, confidence and character in the girls who join.
“This is just another example of the courage, confidence and character that they’ve shown in addressing an issue that none of us had any clue that we were going to have to deal with, and trying to make the best out of it and continue our Girl Scout cookie season strong,” Dempsey said.
Casas said the sheriff’s office is organizing sessions this week for Girl Scout troops aiming to help them spot counterfeit money. The advice includes feeling for the raised printing on real bills, tilting bills and looking for color-shifting ink, and looking for watermarks and security threads with a light.
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