Last night on Jeff Rense's Sightings net broadcast (12/9/99 1:29 mins. into show, Mr. Scott Sperry president of PermaPak in Utah told of an ATM experience he had about two weeks ago. It seems he went to an ATM at a convenience store (not one from the large chains). He keyed the amount of cash he wanted ($300), and out came slips of paper noting amounts -- not even saying it was true currency. $20 was imprinted on them and the words IBM and Diebold. He asked the store clerk what this money was. The proper amount had been taken out of his bank account, but he had these bogus bucks. The clerk replied that he had gotten some of their funny money, and that if they had money in the till to exchange it for cash, they would do so; however, if they didn't, he could purchase things in the store. Needless to say, he talked to his bank and they were surprised that this had happened to him. They said they had heard this story from others from all over the country. Yikes!!! What a way to do business. Hope this situation never happens to any of you good folks.

Glad I've never used an ATM. Guess that ranks me up there with the old fuddyduddies.

-- Lurkess (Lurkess@Lurkess.net), December 10, 1999

Answers

Sounds like an urban legend.

However the "money" is just as good as the other funny money you get from the bank.

-- LM (latemarch@usa.net), December 10, 1999.

I've GOT to invent a new acronym for this one - YHGTBK!!!! (you have got to be kidding)... :0)

-- timemachine (con@tin.uum), December 10, 1999.

I suspect that the ATM companies have phony money they use to test the machines. The existence of funny money is not a surprise. That a customer got some is a big boo-boo.

Interesting. But IBM is not making its own legal tender.

-- David Holladay (davidh@brailleplanet.org), December 10, 1999.

I suspect that the ATM companies have phony money they use to test the machines. The existence of funny money is not a surprise. That a customer got some is a big boo-boo.

Interesting. But IBM is not making its own legal tender.

-- David Holladay (davidh@brailleplanet.org), December 10, 1999.

Like Weimar Notgeld from the 1920s this could become a valuable collectable in 50 years ;-)

-- Bill P (porterwn@one.net), December 10, 1999.

I've used these types of cash machines - once, and never again. They are not bank or ATM network machines, they are set up specifically for small convenience stores that may not qualify or have enough traffic to merit a large, expensive ATM. They way it is supposed to work, is that you use it, and take the slips/ slips to the clerk to get real money. That way, they don't have to stock the (very small) machine with actual bills. I've never heard of a clerk claiming that they are not required to give the customer cash, though. I believe that cashing the vouchers is required under the contract... maybe the clerk was clueless. They also have an extremely high transaction charge. If anyone wants to see one of these machines, and they are in Fort Lauderdale, the convenience store on the corner of US441 and sw 52nd street has one.

-- Bob (bob@bob.bob), December 10, 1999.

One thing that is true is that some ATMs are going up to "big" bills like $50s. I can no longer find a local ATM that dispenses $10s or $5s.

-- No Polly (nopolly@hotmail.com), December 10, 1999.

careful No Polly, you might get flamed the way I did a few threads below:

ATM's and the Restriction of Cash Flow

classic case of shooting the messenger when the message does not fit one's preconceived notions.

-- hiding in plain (sight@edge. of no-where), December 10, 1999.