Two individuals have come forward with claims of receiving fake money during recent online transactions.
An Indianapolis man recently fell victim to a scam on Facebook Marketplace when a buyer handed him counterfeit cash, leaving him feeling cheated.
The security footage captured the entire transaction as it unfolded on Sunday night at Adam Bauman’s residence. The video shows a black Mercedes arriving, and Bauman approaches the car with the jewelry he intended to sell.
Bauman recalls the moment vividly, leaning down in the car as the man handed him the money. “OK, here’s your money,” the man said, as he began counting out the bills – 100, 50, 200.
As Bauman walked away, he couldn’t help but notice that the cash he had in his hands felt peculiar.
“When I entered the house and switched on the light, I noticed that the first two bills had identical serial numbers. Right then, I knew there was a problem,” Bauman expressed with concern.
Bauman immediately contacted the police in that moment.
Earl Townsend, a resident of Speedway, had a similar encounter on Friday with the individuals who had scammed Bauman.
Townsend, who had a counterfeit detector pen in his pocket, decided to stop for a moment and check the bills. To his dismay, every single one of them turned out to be fake.
Both men claim they were in contact with a Facebook user named Jazlynn Pryce. However, when it came time to collect the items, she informed them that she would not be present.
Townsend said that she was informed by her fiancé that he was going to come and pick it up.
Bauman recalled that they had informed him that the package was intended for his brother and that he would arrive soon.
According to IMPD, it is important to follow certain best practices when buying or selling items online. These practices include verifying the identity of the seller and choosing to use secure payment methods such as credit cards or apps like Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle.
Although they may have lost hundreds of dollars, they are leaving with a valuable lesson.
“Reflecting on the situation, Townsend emphasized the importance of double-checking the payment before handing over the game system.”
Bauman expressed that if he had the opportunity to go through the same situation again, he would make sure to have a more assertive and thorough conversation with them. He emphasized the importance of being cautious and vigilant in the current circumstances.
