Phony $100 bills scattered at famed waterfall put hikers in danger, Oregon officials say

Fake $100 bills scattered around Multnomah Falls put hikers seeking the extra cash in danger, Oregon sheriff’s officials reported.

“The Forest Service reported that hikers were going off-trail and risking their lives for a chance at bringing home what they thought were some big bucks,” the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office reported Friday, Aug. 4, on Twitter, now known as X.

The bills appear at first glance to be real, but are marked “for motion picture purposes,” making them worthless, photos posted by the sheriff’s office show.

“Don’t fall for litter,” officials warned.

“If they’re doing it for laughs or doing it for likes or shares, it’s, I mean, it’s ridiculous,” hiker Matthew Brooks told KPTV.

Portland Mountain Rescue climbers rappelled down the waterfall to recover some of the bogus money Saturday, Aug. 5, the sheriff’s office reported on Twitter.

It’s not known who left the fake bills or why, but sheriff’s officials noted a trend in which social media influencers “stash money in the outdoors and provide clues on where people can find it.”

Multnomah Falls is about 30 miles east of Portland.

This story was originally published August 6, 2023 at 8:48 AM with the headline "Phony $100 bills scattered at famed waterfall put hikers in danger, Oregon officials say."