Do you ever find yourself running low on cash? With this easy scam, you can nail a quick $20 in no time.
I just want to point out that I do not support scamming people out of their money. I do not do this myself, and I do not recommend that you do this to others. On the other hand, if you just really want to know how it's done, read along!
Needed Materials
All you need for this scam is an envelope and 19 dollar bills.
The Con
Walk up to a cashier in any store. Tell the cashier that you would like to trade your dollar bills for a twenty dollar bill. Say your aunt/nephew/niece is having a birthday. Make sure they hand you the twenty as you give them your bills. Fold up the twenty dollar bill several times into a small rectangle.
As they are counting the bills, you are going to pretend to seal the bill inside the envelope. Face the opening of the envelope towards you so the cashier cannot see what is happening. Place the folded bill in the envelope to where it is partially sticking out. Begin to lick the envelope one side at a time. In between licks, carefully grab the bill with your mouth, pull it out of the envelope, and place it under your thumb. The bill will be on the outside of the envelope, but the spectator will not be able to see it from their point of view. The back of the envelope should still face them. Finish licking and sealing the envelope.
Now you have to hide the bill. There are several easy ways for this to be done. If you are wearing long sleeves, you can drop it into your sleeve. Another way would be to let go of the envelope with one hand, bring the hand holding the envelope and bill to your side, then drop it into your pocket. Feel free to get creative here. You could even hide it in your mouth and then drop it somewhere when the cashier is not looking. Whatever you decide, practice the routine well. This all needs to happen before the cashier finishes counting.
Once they count to nineteen, they should let you know that you are short by one dollar. Say that you have a dollar in your car, and you are going to get it. Tell them to hold onto the envelope while you go grab your dollar. Take the nineteen bills with you and leave. You will be long gone before they realize that there is no twenty dollar bill in that envelope.
One last tip, you can place some paper in the envelope to give the feel of a bill. You could even put a birthday card in there if you wanted. Also, write Happy Birthday Susy (or another name) on the envelope for a personal touch.
I hope you enjoyed learning about this scam. I used a cashier as the example victim, but you may find that this works better on a stranger in a bar or someone on the street. You may not be able to get a cashier to hand you a twenty dollar bill until they have already counted the money first!
