IRVINE, Calif. — A routine Facebook Marketplace transaction took a bizarre twist last week when a buyer allegedly used counterfeit money to pay over $5,000 during an in-person sale in Irvine.
The Irvine Police Department reported the incident occurred at their designated E-commerce exchange area, a monitored space designed to keep online transactions secure. Despite the safety measures, the buyer handed over fake cash. “They say money doesn’t buy happiness, and it turns out fake money doesn’t buy anything,” the police quipped.
Police quickly launched an investigation and apprehended 33-year-old Christopher Scott Newell from Irvine the following day. He was arrested on suspicion of theft by false pretenses. Authorities recovered and returned the victim’s property.
Newell was booked into the Orange County Jail, where police humorously noted, “The facility doesn’t accept motion picture prop money for bail.”
The Irvine Police Department reminded residents to stay vigilant during in-person trades and urged people to verify currency carefully and use public, recorded exchange areas to stay safe.
