For want of a shotgun

[Jcordell]

Originally Posted by S&Wshooter

What is the deal with serialized money, from heists and whatnot? How would one even track or trace it?

Well i wonder if at one time the various Feds around the country recorded the serial numbers and who they were shipped to and then the individual banks recorded the serial numbers when they received their shipments of cash.

In the my old investigation back in 2003 it would have helped to make a case that the money my suspect had in his possession came from a local bank. But the only time I've ever had the serial numbers be useful is during counterfeit investigations. the Secret Service maintains a database that records the serial numbers of counterfeit bills. When I get one I can call the local office in Boise, give them the number or numbers and the secret service can tell me where else the fake money has showed up....or if it hasn't. However the prosecution of currency counterfeiters is Federal. We can charge the person passing the funny money with theft since they are purchasing things with fake money so it's stealing. But the actual prosecution for making it goes to the Feds.

Counterfeiting isn't as common as it used to be. Even just ten and twelve years ago we got a lot more funny money being passed. No it's all computer hacking and ID theft. Which means making and passing fake money is becoming more of a specialty again I think. or so it seems in my little coner of the world.

[Nyles]

You have to admire some of these guys alright - these days it's a good day if I open a case and it's just regular old insurance plan member fraud. That's at least easy to prove, I'm dealing with what I'm convinced is an organised ring of phony clinics stealing health care providers credentials. Every time we get close to catching them they just shut down and open with a new name.

[Jcordell]

It's become very organized and global.I've seen an increase in this type of crime in just the past fifteen years. Every week we have victims of phone scams in which the suspects are typically calling from another country. There is simply nothing we can do for those victims.