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Returning to your car and finding a bill, sometimes 20 dollars, sometimes 100, folded under the windshield wiper can seem like a stroke of luck. But police departments in several places in the United States warn that, in some cases, that “gift” is actually a tactic designed to steal the vehicle.
What the windshield bill trick is about
According to warnings issued by different police departments, the scheme works in a very specific way. A thief places a bill, often fake, under the windshield wiper blade of a parked car. Then the thief waits for the driver to return.
The key is timing: generally, the driver does not see the bill until after getting in, closing the door, and starting the engine. When noticing it, the driver gets out to remove it, leaving the car running, with the doors open and the keys in the ignition. That is when the thieves, who were waiting nearby, pounce and take the vehicle. That is why it is described as a distraction tactic for theft or “carjacking”.
Why do the police warn about this home trick?
Several law enforcement agencies issued alerts about this method. The Newton County sheriff’s office in Georgia reported receiving numerous reports from residents who found bills in their cars and warned that the money was usually fake, even if it “looks authentic and even feels authentic” to the touch. The official recommendation was not to approach the vehicle immediately and to report the situation.
In Maryland, the attorney general’s office warned about the same tactic in shopping mall parking lots, especially during the shopping seasons. And in South Carolina, the Georgetown County sheriff’s office summed it up this way: scammers count on the person getting out of the car when they see the bill, at which point the thief gains instant access to the vehicle.
What to do if you find a bill on the car windshield
The recommendations from the authorities in this situation are clear and simple:
- If you see the bill before getting in: do not approach the vehicle right away, look around, and if anything seems suspicious, call the police (911 in the U.S.) to report it.
- If you notice it when you are already inside with the engine running: do not get out to remove it. The safest thing is to leave the area by driving normally and deal with the bill later, in a safe place.
- Keep the doors closed and locked while you assess the situation.
- Do not handle the bill if you suspect it is fake: using counterfeit money can cause problems, so the prudent thing is to hand it over to the police.