What if a retailer offered a product for one counterfeit dollar?

[Boojatta]

If a customer provided a real dollar, then the retailer could refuse the money and not let the customer have the product.

However, if the customer provided a counterfeit dollar, then would the customer have reason to fear arrest?

[GA_ArmyVet]

1. what if frogs had wings?

well then they would not bump their ass when they hit the ground

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. sounds like entrapment to me...

[uppityperson]

3. Sting.

[dems_rightnow]

4. Given that counterfeiting

requires an attempt to defraud, I'd say the customer couldn't be charged when the merchant requested and received a counterfeit dollar.

He'd still be arrested had he been the one printing the dollar.

[Pab Sungenis]

5. Yes.

Production of and possession of counterfeit bills and coins is illegal and prosecutable. They don't usually prosecute for mere possession if it can be established that you unknowingly spent the bill, but if you know and pass it, they can come down like a ton of bricks.

[chucktaylor]

6. No.

Counterfeiting is a criminal offense when it involves an intent to defraud in passing off the counterfeit item. The law contains exemptions for collector's items and items that are so obviously dissimilar from the original that a reasonable person would not consider them real. However, making a poor copy is no defense if the intent to defraud exists.

[MineralMan]

7. Only if the product were a counterfeit, too.

You know...an Omeca watch or a pair of Mike shoes or something.

But, the transaction wouldn't be valid, since everything was bogus. Nothing would change hands.

I changed hands once. I used to eat by holding my fork in my left hand and my knife in my right. I'd cut a piece of food, lay the knife down, switch the fork to my right hand and eat. Then, I made a life-changing decision. No longer would I change hands. Now I hold my fork, tines down, in my left hand, cut with the knife in my right hand and simply bring the food to my mouth with my left hand. It's ever so much more efficient.

If you send me a counterfeit dollar, I will send you a booklet describing how you, too, can eat in an efficient manner.

Thank you for your attention.