Cd'A business owner reports counterfeit bill

COEUR d’ALENE —The owner of Jump for Joy in Coeur d'Alene was not so joyous Tuesday when his bank revealed he had unknowingly accepted a counterfeit bill.

Benedict Woitas, the owner of the indoor bounce house and play center, had accepted a $10 bill from a customer on Monday. The next day, his bank called to tell him it was fake and advised him to file a police report.

Woitas told the responding officer it had been a very busy day, and he didn't know who had given him the bill. The officer marked it with a counterfeit-detection pen and the mark turned brown, indicating it was a fake bill. The police incident report states the bill was visually suspect, as the graphics were crooked on the paper and the printed detail on the seal was "very muddy in appearance."

Woitas told The Press he wants other merchants know counterfeit bills are being passed so they are aware it could happen to them.

"I probably would have thought twice about it if I knew this was happening," he said.

Woitas said since it was only $10, the financial loss itself was insignificant.

"It's not a big deal, but it's disappointing," he said.