A routine fries order at an In-N-Out in Glendale turned into a break that unraveled a counterfeit scheme stretching across Southern California. In October 2025, a cashier flagged a suspicious 100 dollar bill, triggering an investigation that linked fake notes to roughly a dozen restaurants and multiple counties.
Authorities say the scam quietly pulled real cash from busy fast-food counters, exposing everyday retail vulnerabilities. What began as a single alert employee report soon escalated into felony charges, arrests, and a wider debate over enforcement. Here’s what’s happening…
A Fries Order Raised Red Flags
The case began at a Glendale In-N-Out when a customer paid just a few dollars for fries using a counterfeit 100 dollar bill, receiving nearly a full 100 dollars in real change, according to a Glendale Police Department statement. The cashier noticed the bill looked off and reported it immediately, a move that proved critical.
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage and found a pattern. The same tactic appeared to be used repeatedly, with low-cost purchases designed to exploit busy staff. Glendale police worked with In-N-Out corporate security and regional managers to trace similar transactions across Los Angeles and Orange counties, revealing a coordinated effort rather than an isolated incident.
A Low-Dollar Trick With High Returns
Investigators identified suspects Auriona Lewis, 24, and Tatiyanna Foster, 26, both of Long Beach, as allegedly targeting In-N-Out locations using fake 100 dollar bills. They ordered inexpensive items such as fries or the off-menu Flying Dutchman, priced between 2 and 6 dollars, to maximize the amount of legitimate change returned.
Police say this strategy often produced more than 90 dollars per transaction while drawing little attention during peak hours. Surveillance images showed counterfeit bills used for a 2.53 dollar fries purchase and a 5.93 dollar Flying Dutchman. Timestamps, vehicles, and clothing captured on camera helped investigators connect incidents across multiple locations.
How The Scheme Spread Across Counties
According to Glendale police, about a dozen In-N-Out restaurants in Los Angeles and Orange counties were hit before the pattern became clear. The company later reported that locations in Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties were also targeted.
The expanding footprint required a coordinated response. Glendale Police Financial Crime Detectives partnered with the U.S. Marshals Task Force, K9 units, and local departments. Investigators compiled receipts, matched surveillance footage, and analyzed transaction histories to build a comprehensive profile of the suspects and the scope of the alleged operation.
One Employee Helped Stop It
Police say the initial cashier’s instincts stopped the losses from growing further. That single report allowed detectives to link scattered incidents into a single scheme unfolding across Southern California.
Lewis was arrested on October 30, 2025, in Palmdale during an operation involving Glendale detectives, K9 officers, and the U.S. Marshals Task Force. According to a Glendale Police Department statement, she was found with counterfeit bills matching those used in Glendale, along with numerous gift cards and transaction receipts believed to be tied to similar fraudulent activity at multiple In-N-Out locations.
Felony Charges And Legal Fallout
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged Lewis in November 2025 with felony counterfeiting and grand theft. She pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return to Pasadena court on January 20, 2026, for a hearing to determine whether the case proceeds to trial.
Foster surrendered at the Glendale Police Department on December 15, 2025, and remains jailed without bail due to a possible probation violation from a prior burglary case. Prosecutors are still reviewing potential charges. Under federal law, serious counterfeiting offenses can carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison and substantial fines.
What The Case Reveals About Risk
The case also sparked broader debate. Lewis’s public defender, Elizabeth Lashley-Haynes, told the Los Angeles Times that her client is presumed innocent and questioned why felony charges were filed instead of misdemeanors, citing concerns about Black defendants being disproportionately charged with felonies. Prosecutors responded that charging decisions are based solely on facts, evidence, circumstances, and the law.
For In-N-Out, the episode unfolded amid wider public-safety pressures, including the 2024 closure of its Oakland restaurant over crime concerns. Nationally, counterfeiting remains rare but costly. A 2025 Federal Reserve research paper estimates roughly 15 million dollars in counterfeit U.S. currency circulates nationwide, a small share overall but a real threat to individual businesses. In this case, one alert worker showed how frontline vigilance can stop losses before they spread.
Sources:
In-N-Out Burger outlets in Southern California hit by counterfeit bill scam. Los Angeles Times, Jan. 10, 2026
Glendale Police Arrest Two In Counterfeit Currency Scheme. Glendale Police Department, Jan. 10, 2026
Fake cash scheme busted at In-N-Out. FOX 11 Los Angeles, Jan. 10, 2026
Estimating the Volume of Counterfeit U.S. Currency in Circulation. Federal Reserve, Feb. 2025
Counterfeiting, fiscal year 2024 data summary. U.S. Sentencing Commission, 2024