Mystery donations after fake £50 scam

ANONYMOUS good Sam-aritans have come to the aid of a sandwich shop owner left out of pocket when a worker accepted a fake £50 note.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Apr 2014, 10:00 BST
WH 010414 Diane Guest, Sandwich Bar, Rowlands Road, Worthing. Her shop worker took a fake £50 note but when she discussed it with other traders to warn them, a few days later four anonymous envelopes with cash were posted through her door, entitled 'Di's £50 restoration fund' - traders had grouped together to pay back some of her losses, in a sign of community spirit. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-140104-173259001WH 010414 Diane Guest, Sandwich Bar, Rowlands Road, Worthing. Her shop worker took a fake £50 note but when she discussed it with other traders to warn them, a few days later four anonymous envelopes with cash were posted through her door, entitled 'Di's £50 restoration fund' - traders had grouped together to pay back some of her losses, in a sign of community spirit. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-140104-173259001
WH 010414 Diane Guest, Sandwich Bar, Rowlands Road, Worthing. Her shop worker took a fake £50 note but when she discussed it with other traders to warn them, a few days later four anonymous envelopes with cash were posted through her door, entitled 'Di's £50 restoration fund' - traders had grouped together to pay back some of her losses, in a sign of community spirit. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-140104-173259001

Diane Guest, of the Sandwitch Bar, in Rowlands Road, Worthing, was dismayed when she found the paint rubbing off the dodgy note while cashing up.

But her faith in society was quickly restored when four envelopes, entitled ‘Di’s £50 restoration fund’ were posted through her door last week.

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The donations, which amounted to £14, came after she warned other traders of the issue.

She said: “I wasn’t even going to open the envelopes. It wasn’t the money that mattered but the fact they had made the effort and it was so sweet.

“I was nearly in tears. I thought the envelopes were someone complaining.”

Mrs Guest said her worker had accepted the £50 from a ‘presentable’ man and since then, another man had been attempting to pay with £50 at other shops in the West End.

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She said: “I knew it was a fake as the paint was falling off and the metal strip shouldn’t be able to be torn, but it did.

“In conversation with another trader, a charity, the same chap had tried to buy batteries for hearing aids from them on the same day and tried to pay with a fake £50 note.

“They only spotted it after three members of staff looked at it.”

For the full story, see the Worthing Herald, out Thursday, April 3.

Related topics:AnonymousWest End