Traffic stop reveals black money scam

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Mobile County Sheriff's Office said they recovered evidence during a traffic stop that they say is linked to a 'black money scam'.

Photos: Black money scam evidence

Here's how the scam works:  Authorities said con-artists dye a few bills  black and place them on top of black construction paper. The paper is cut to be the same size as currency so the whole pile, looks like cash, dyed black. Scammers then try to persuade victims to give them money, in exchange for the cash.

Authorities said scammers tell victims a bogus story as to why the cash is dyed.

"And so the person being scammed ends up giving them a set amount of money that they agreed to. And they take their stacks of what they believe to be black money, and they are gone," said Isbell.

Deputies said they stopped a car at the three-mile marker on Interstate 10 Thursday, August 9 for a traffic violation. The driver and passenger said they were going to Mobile from Gulfport to buy rims and tires.

"I believe they were in the process of getting ready to do it or they have already scammed a few people, and we just don't know who they are," said Mobile County Detective, Eric Isbell.

A k-9 unit was called to the scene and alerted on the vehicle. Deputies opened the trunk and found a black leather bag containing cotton balls, a baggie of white powder and brown glass bottle of unknown liquid and two stacks of black paper which were the same size as currency.

The top bills in each stack were $20 and the next two bills were $100, while the remainder of the stack was black cardboard paper. The currency was coated with a mixture of iodine, glue and water, which put a black coating on the currency.

The liquid in a water bottle found in the car was a mixture of crushed vitamin C and water. The vitamin C and water solution was put on the cotton balls and used to remove the black substance from the currency, giving the impression that all the paper was currency.

Deputies said the investigation revealed the two men were involved in black money scams.

The sheriff's office said both men denied ownership of the black bag and it's contents and were released from custody.

"They were released. But our investigation is ongoing at this time. Just because they are released doesn't mean there isn't going to be arrests in the future," said Mobile County Sheriff's Spokesperson Lori Myles.

Authorities are asking for victims to visit the Mobile County Sheriff's Office website  if they believe they were scammed.