Counterfeit Bills Making the Rounds

Thursday, 21 January 2016 06:18

OPP are warning store owners about suspicious $50 American bills popping up in the region.

A heads up for local store owners as the OPP have been getting reports of fake money circulating in the area.

Norfolk OPP have investigated several incidents over the past two months of fake $50 American bills. Constable Ed Sanchuk tells Heart FM you really have to be careful when accepting foreign currency.

"So the common denominator here is the $50 American bank note; the majority of them don't have serial numbers on them, and we want people to realize when you are accepting foreign money to do your due diligence, check that currency, and you should not be afraid to tell your customer that you won't accept the currency if you think it is fake."

Know Your Notes

Security features are helpful only if you use them. If you know your notes, you'll be able to detect a counterfeit at a glance and protect yourself from fraud.

Dealing with Suspicious Money

Making or passing counterfeit notes is a criminal offence and should be reported.

What to do if you suspect that you have been offered a counterfeit note during a transaction:

Assess the situation to ensure that you are not at risk. Then do the following:

Politely refuse the note and explain that you suspect that it may be counterfeit.

Ask for another note (and check it too).

Advise the person to check the note with the local police.

Inform your local police of a possible attempt to pass suspected counterfeit money.

Be courteous. Remember that the person in possession of the bill could be an innocent victim who does not realize that the note is suspicious.

What to do if you suspect that a note is counterfeit after a transaction:

Give it to the local police. If it’s real, you'll get it back.

"Checking bank notes protects everyone, so don't be offended if a cashier carefully examines your bills. Routinely checking the security features of all notes - large and small - allows cashiers to intercept counterfeits and keep them out of the till and out of your change," comments Sanchuk