Scots College boys bought counterfeit cash on social media

Private schoolboys who allegedly used counterfeit $50 notes to try to scam cash from eastern suburbs businesses have been suspended from their $40,000 a year school amid revelations about where they accessed the fake notes.

Private schoolboys who allegedly used counterfeit $50 notes to try to scam cash from eastern suburbs businesses have been suspended from their $40,000-a-year school amid revelations they bought the notes from an “advertisement” on social media.

The Daily Telegraph can also reveal that the three The Scots College students were caught on camera not just at one newsagency but also attempted to buy a $7.90 set of allen keys with fake $50 notes at a Double Bay hardware store.

That attempt was unsuccessful because the notes were so unconvincing the shopkeeper immediately gave it back to one boy.

Scots College principal Dr Ian Lambert wrote to parents on Thursday saying the three boys had been punished.

“This is a very serious matter, and the College has suspended the students. I want to be very clear that this behaviour is unacceptable,” he said.

The hardware store owner rejects the fake $50 note.

The boys’ actions were brought to light after Double Bay newsagency manager Jim Cho posted footage of the boys to YouTube after he lost $100 when one boy exchanged two fake $50 notes for cash on Sunday.

Mr Cho said two teachers arrived at the store on Monday and he claimed they tried to downplay the incident.

But in his letter to parents, Dr Lambert disputed that, saying they reassured him that he would get his money back.

“Two of our Senior staff members visited the retailer yesterday to confirm that we had identified the students and to reassure him that there would be firm consequences for the students’ actions, and that he would be fully repaid for the loss he had incurred,” he said.

“No student has been ‘bailed out’ as has been suggested in some media reports. Actions have consequences.”

Double Bay Hardware, where the boys tried unsuccessfully to use the counterfeit money.

Dr Lambert told The Daily Telegraph that the school believed the fake money was purchased from an advertisement on social media.

Police have said it is of such poor quality they think it was printed with a standard office photocopier.

The fake bill below a real one. Picture: William Tyson

Double Bay Hardware manager Fang Yang yesterday said one boy from the group tried to buy a set of allen keys with the cash but it was so obvious it was fake they immediately rejected it.

Footage of that transaction shows one of the students producing the $50 note which was printed on paper while the transparent window on the cash appeared to just be a bit of sticky tape.

“The kids need to be learning about morals at the school,” he said.

“It is not just about learning one plus one, they need to learn more about how to be a man in the future.”