Wal-Mart mistake leads deputies to stop family that store workers suspected passed counterfeit bills

COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) - Levi Stubbs, his wife and teenage daughter were shocked to see Oakland County Sheriff's deputies surrounding their minivan after they just finished some Christmas shopping at Wal-Mart.

Stubbs says a deputy drew his weapon as they were being ordered out of their minivan Tuesday afternoon.

The Stubbs were told that Wal-Mart employees called to report that they had passed several $100 bills that were counterfeit. Turns out the money wasn't counterfeit at all.

“Someone could have been shot. Someone could have been killed over erroneous information," says Stubbs who also told 7 Action News that their teenage daughter seemed to be in such distress after the incident that they considered taking her to the hospital.

Moments after deputies took action to stop the family in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart on Pontiac Trail, they informed the Stubbs that store workers had made an error and that there was nothing bogus about their bills.

Levi and Dionne Stubbs used several $100 bills to pay for a number of gifts including an iPad and Xbox for their thirteen-year-old daughter.

“She was just getting over pneumonia and just lost her rabbit and so I’m thinking I’m going to take her shopping, and take the day off, and make her a little happy to cheer her up a little bit and it turned into a nightmare", says Dionne Stubbs.

Action News contacted Walmart Media Relations and after looking into the incident, we were told that store employees made a mistake. A Wal-Mart spokesperson says they are sorry for what happened to the Stubbs and that they are taking action to correct the problem. We're told managers at Wal-Mart's Commerce Township location will be re-emphasizing proper protocol in detecting and reporting possible counterfeit bills to their associates.