Watsonville pizza parlor says they were targeted in counterfeit money scheme

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION) Corralitos Pizza believes they were once again the target of a counterfeit money scam. They're now asking other local businesses to keep an eye out for two people.

Several months ago, a woman and man entered the pizza parlor and paid with a $100 bill. Corralitos later discovered it was a fake bill and filed a police report.

They say the same woman returned Thursday and attempted to pay with a counterfeit bill.

“We compared the picture to the previous incident, and it was the same person,” Corralitos manager Jose Ruynaga said.

The woman was wearing and mask, making it harder to recognize her, and left before they were able to get any more information.

The pizza parlor's manager said a few other restaurants have reached out to Corralitos to say they've been targeted too. In several cases a man was accompanied by the woman, according to Ruynaga.

“We hear from other businesses. They contact us to share videos and pictures, and [the suspects] doing it on a daily basis now in the area," Ruynaga said.

There was a several month gap in between the scams at Corralitos, but Ruynaga worries with the new face covering mandate their suspect might be even more daring.

“They'll probably try to do it everywhere, because everyone’s wearing the mask so you cannot recognize them right away,” the manager said.

The pizza shop said they plan on filing another police report, and are trying to show the pictures to as many other Watsonville businesses as possible.

“It's hard for businesses right now with what’s going on, and this makes it even worse,” Ruynaga said.

Police recommend businesses use counterfeit money markers, consider not accepting cash and file a police report if they are targeted.