Canonical URL: https://giftcard.news/fraud-security/oregon-indictments-counterfeit-cash-safeway-gift-cards/ --- description: A Yamhill County grand jury indicted two people after investigators examined alleged gift-card purchases made with counterfeit $100 bills. title: Oregon indictments allege counterfeit cash was used to buy Safeway gift cards image: https://giftcard.news/images/social/v1/oregon-indictments-allege-counterfeit-cash-used-buy-safeway-gift-cards-ba7340123330d39901f64596d9311c14.jpg --- 1. [Home](https://giftcard.news/) 2. [Fraud & Security](https://giftcard.news/fraud-security/) # Oregon indictments allege counterfeit cash was used to buy Safeway gift cards A Yamhill County grand jury indicted two people after investigators examined alleged gift-card purchases made with counterfeit $100 bills. By [Emma Carter](https://giftcard.news/author/emma-carter/) September 17, 2026 1 min read [ Google News ](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=giftcard.news&utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news) Share [ ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Ffraud-security%2Foregon-indictments-counterfeit-cash-safeway-gift-cards%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dx%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&text=Oregon+indictments+allege+counterfeit+cash+was+used+to+buy+Safeway+gift+cards&utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news "X") [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Ffraud-security%2Foregon-indictments-counterfeit-cash-safeway-gift-cards%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news "LinkedIn") [ ](https://wa.me/?text=Oregon+indictments+allege+counterfeit+cash+was+used+to+buy+Safeway+gift+cards+https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Ffraud-security%2Foregon-indictments-counterfeit-cash-safeway-gift-cards%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dwhatsapp%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news "WhatsApp") ![Customer hands holding a blue card at a retail payment terminal](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/oregon-indictments-allege-counterfeit-cash-used-buy-safeway-gift-cards-customer-hands-w1280.webp) Illustrative retail card transaction. The image does not depict the Oregon investigation or either defendant. Photo: SpotOn / Unsplash. Photo: SpotOn / Unsplash A Yamhill County grand jury has indicted two people accused of manufacturing counterfeit $100 bills and using them to buy gift cards at [Safeway](https://giftcard.news/company/safeway/) stores across Oregon, the [Oregon Department of Justice](https://giftcard.news/organization/oregon-department-of-justice/) announced on September 17. The alleged counterfeit instrument was the cash used for the purchases. The announcement does not say that the gift cards themselves were counterfeit or that their balances were drained. The department identified the defendants as Mark Melendez and Heather Fawcett. Both face multiple charges related to manufacturing and using counterfeit currency; the charges are allegations, and both are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Safeway's Organized Retail Crime team initially identified the suspects and referred the matter to the department, according to the official account. The investigation involved the Yamhill County District Attorney's Office, the county sheriff and Safeway's team. Investigators executed search warrants at both defendants' residences and seized chemicals, printers and digital devices that they say were used to produce counterfeit currency. The release does not disclose the number or value of gift cards purchased, identify their issuing brands or report a financial-loss total. The new development is the indictment following the multi-agency investigation. ## In this article ### Companies * [Safeway](https://giftcard.news/company/safeway/) ### Organizations * [Oregon Department of Justice](https://giftcard.news/organization/oregon-department-of-justice/) ### Sources and documents * [Original September 17 indictment announcement](https://www.doj.state.or.us/media-home/news-media-releases/odoj-partners-secure-indictments-in-100-bill-scheme-at-safeway-stores/?utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news) — Oregon Department of Justice Share [ ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Ffraud-security%2Foregon-indictments-counterfeit-cash-safeway-gift-cards%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dx%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&text=Oregon+indictments+allege+counterfeit+cash+was+used+to+buy+Safeway+gift+cards&utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news "X") [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Ffraud-security%2Foregon-indictments-counterfeit-cash-safeway-gift-cards%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news "LinkedIn") [ ](https://wa.me/?text=Oregon+indictments+allege+counterfeit+cash+was+used+to+buy+Safeway+gift+cards+https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Ffraud-security%2Foregon-indictments-counterfeit-cash-safeway-gift-cards%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dwhatsapp%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news "WhatsApp") ![Portrait of Emma Carter](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/emma-carter-editorial-portrait-w320.webp) About the author ## [Emma Carter](https://giftcard.news/author/emma-carter/) Journalist — Retail & E-commerce Emma Carter covers retail, e-commerce and the gift card shopping experience for Gift Card News. From reading to building ## Your next move in gift cards. Tell us what you’re building. We’ll help you explore suitable providers. 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