Boy George Replaces Queen on Fake Bills

British shop workers fooled by his-head-for-hers forgery

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 26, 2009 7:33 AM CDT

(Newser) – Boy George made a convincing stand-in for the Queen on a counterfeit note found in Britain this week, the Daily Telegraph reports. The £20 note was passed at a stationary shop and the staff didn't realize it was a fake until a bank worker checked the anti-forgery watermark and found the '80s star's image there instead of the monarch's.

"The cashier held it up to the light and then spotted that Boy George's face was on it instead of the Queen's," a spokesman for the store said. "I couldn't believe it—we've certainly had nothing like it before."

Boy George performs onstage at Le Pigalle Club in central London, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)

Boy George's image replaced that of Queen Elizabeth II on a forged British banknote. (Getty Images)

A genuine British banknote. (©MuLaN?)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

DNA Test: 13-Year-Old Isn't Father

Swab results sink claims about UK tabloid sensation

(NEWSER) - The British 13-year-old who became a tabloid sensation because he fathered a child with his teenage girlfriend isn't the dad after all, reports the Mirror, via the Mommy Files blog of the San Francisco Chronicle. A DNA test shows that Alfie Patten is not the UK's youngest father. The boy's mom said he had been "devastated" to learn that he wasn't his 15-year-old girlfriend's one and only. More»

Feds: Today's Counterfeiters Are Poor Copies

Ink-jet amateurs replace skilled crooks who once fooled experts

(NEWSER) - Secret Service agents are waxing nostalgic for counterfeiters of old, the Kansas City Star reports. The printers who once produced 20s, 50s, and 100s good enough to fool experts have been replaced by home office crooks who reproduce small bills on ink-jet printers. "It’s a lost art," says special agent Charles Green. He recalls a 1980s case for two million counterfeit dollars: “That’s the kind of case we used to make.” More»

Boy George Guilty of Imprisoning Escort

Jury convicts pop star of false imprisonment

(AP) - A jury has convicted pop singer Boy George of falsely imprisoning a male escort. Jurors sided with Norwegian Audun Carlsen, who accused the pop star of handcuffing him to a wall at the singer's London apartment and roughing him up. Boy George admitted handcuffing him but said he did so because Carlsen had tampered with his computer and removed photos. He'll be sentenced Jan. 16, and the judge has said jail time is likely. More»

New $5 Bill Debuts Today

Abe gets a colorful makeover on copy-resistant bills

(NEWSER) - Honest Abe may've been a bit pasty and gaunt, but the public can now see him in a more vivid hue: The redesigned $5 bill, complete with splashes of purple designed to thwart pesky counterfeiters, is being released today. Lincoln keeps his place on the front, and his memorial on the back—and the first new fiver will be spent at Lincoln's Cottage in Washington, DC. More»

Brits Richer Than Yanks for First Time in 100 Years

Britons earn more than Americans for first time in over 100 years

(NEWSER) - Britons are making more per capita than Americans for the first time since the 19th century, a new GDP report finds. Brits are earning $46,323 a year on average, $500 more than their US counterparts, according to Oxford Economics. The Yanks are still ahead when it comes to purchasing power because goods and services are more affordable in the US. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Boy George Replaces Queen on Fake Bills

British shop workers fooled by his-head-for-hers forgery

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

currency • counterfeit • Britain • watermark • Boy George • forgery • Howard Stern Grid

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

DNA Test: 13-Year-Old Isn't Father

Swab results sink claims about UK tabloid sensation

Feds: Today's Counterfeiters Are Poor Copies

Ink-jet amateurs replace skilled crooks who once fooled experts

Boy George Guilty of Imprisoning Escort

Jury convicts pop star of false imprisonment

New $5 Bill Debuts Today

Abe gets a colorful makeover on copy-resistant bills

Brits Richer Than Yanks for First Time in 100 Years

Britons earn more than Americans for first time in over 100 years

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

Boy George Replaces Queen on Fake Bills

British shop workers fooled by his-head-for-hers forgery

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

currency • counterfeit • Britain • watermark • Boy George • forgery • Howard Stern Grid

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

DNA Test: 13-Year-Old Isn't Father

Swab results sink claims about UK tabloid sensation

Feds: Today's Counterfeiters Are Poor Copies

Ink-jet amateurs replace skilled crooks who once fooled experts

Boy George Guilty of Imprisoning Escort

Jury convicts pop star of false imprisonment

New $5 Bill Debuts Today

Abe gets a colorful makeover on copy-resistant bills

Brits Richer Than Yanks for First Time in 100 Years

Britons earn more than Americans for first time in over 100 years

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?