Scam artists claim Treasury "international promissory notes" -- no such thing

Just the other day I received this email (exactly as written):

I want to ask if there are way to sale

– international promissory note.

– Issued by US treasury.

– Value $20Billion

It was issued as compensation for lands in California.

I have posted an image of the “note” below.

It’s a scam, of course. There is no such thing as an “international promissory note.” And the
bigger the number (“20B”) the less likely the deal is real. And look at all that gibberish,
especially under “Drawer” and “Legal Tender” at the bottom of the document! But I played along and replied,
Please scan the note and email it.The response: Sure will send all relevant details and documents, but i need to know what
is the offer will be?

Me: I need to see the note first, please.

Scammer: Yes. Our processing manager will look at it Monday.

I received the official-looking document below, complete with a notary certification (that
doesn’t mean a document is legitimate, only that the person who signed it showed ID). I sent it to
a few friends for laughs. Dave Krunic of ReliantFinancial.com suggested this response, which I
sent:

Our processing manager says to just walk it in to the nearest FDIC insured bank and
tender the treasury note at the window, no need for you to take a discount at all! Glad I could
help!!Needless to say, I never heard from him again. — Bill Mencarow, President, The Paper Source, Inc.

by Lew Sichelman

Yet another scam designed to separate homeowners from their money is making its way across the country from the West, where desperate sellers are willing to accept just about any kind of compensation to get out from under.

This scheme involves the use of fraudulent Treasury-related promissory notes and bonds as down payments by charlatans who claim to be short on cash. In most cases the scam artists try to buy homes using these worthless documents, but in one case they actually tried to purchase an office building.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FRAUDULENT NOTE OFFERED TO THE PAPER SOURCE:

PN-1 promissory note