Before driving to the farm yesterday, I needed to fill up the tank. Ever noticed how much the price of fuel fluctuates considering the barrel price doesn't? At the moment the price per liter in Finland is around 1.55€ ($1.73), or for those in the US, that is $6.54 per gallon. Interesting considering barrel prices are relatively low.
Anyway, yesterday while I was filling up the car my wife was inside the service station and just after I finished, a guy pulled into the bowser next to me and then asked if I could pay for his fuel because the machines no longer take cash, holding up a 10€ note. I am a decent citizen and said sure, but I am also a Steemian so I heard scam, but for 10€ I was willing to take the risk.
So, I paid for the fuel at the pump with the 10 in hand and felt that it was very slightly off in texture, but it could be my imagination considering that I was already on guard. But once I got out of sight, I noticed that the line of one side was uneven and it had been cut. What are the chances? I said to the guy, that this isn't cool and he wanted the 10 back - I don't think so.
I got back in the car drove and parked and went into the station with my daughter as they have a machine to test if it is counterfeit or not. And, I have the license plate of the car.
It passed the machine test.
Weird.
My wife had another ten note on her and I compared them together and there still seems something off about this one, so I will take it into the police to see. Obviously, it isn't the 10 dollar value of it but I am curious to know if my spidey senses were working correctly. Of course, it could just very well be coincidence as notes get cut and damaged in various ways all the time and as long the vitals are clear, it is still legal tender.
What would be super interesting is if it is indeed a counterfeit note and the machine at the service station that they use for notes from a 20€ up wasn't accurate. The government and especially the banks would be seething if they were allowing counterfeit notes into circulation because, it is their job to create inflation and earn upon it to further the cause of the global debt cycle.
The things that made me pay more attention were:
If it is a fake, I have the number plate of the guy and the service station should have camera footage.
Likely, it is just my imagination yet the exercise of it is worth my effort just for interest sake. I think that these days we tend not to spend that much time being aware of our surroundings and as a result, it is much easier to take advantage of people in various ways. Trustless systems, immutability and traceability are gong to be required just because so few of us pay attention anymore - nor understand much about people as we lose the ability to read face to face circumstances due to all the screen interaction and disconnection.
If it isn't a fake - I might use it to buy something that can't be faked and 10€ will currently get me 44 STEEM. It cost me 287 STEEM to fill up my car, and it only has a 40 liter tank. Live off Steem? :D
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]
