Fake $100 Bills Circulating in Stratford and St Marys

Thursday, 14 February 2019 at 15:36

Police have responded to 11 complaints about the phony currency since the start of the year.

STRATFORD - Stratford Police are warning the public that counterfeit bills are circulating in the City.

The fake American $100 bills have turned up in Stratford, St Marys and Perth South recently. Police have responded to 11 complaints about the phony currency since the start of the year. These reports are coming from all areas that the Stratford Police serve, but particularly seem to be happening in the St Marys area.

In order to prevent further victimization, business owners and managers are being asked to familiarize themselves with the security features found on all types of bills.

Information regarding the security features for both Canadian and American currency can be found on the Bank of Canada website.

The Bank of Canada also offers free educational material to anyone who wishes to learn more about how to detect counterfeit currency.

Employees in the retail business should also be mindful of several signs that may indicate as to whether or not a bill is counterfeit. Retailers should be suspicious if an individual is purchasing a small cost item with an American $100 bill and is willing to take Canadian currency at par for change. Also, it is recommended that retailers look over all bills that are received to ensure that they appear proper. Signs that a bill might be counterfeit could be as simple as there being an unusual amount of zeros in the serial number, to as obvious as Chinese or Russian lettering found on the bill.

Remember that if a bill, or a transaction, appears questionable, you do not need to accept it. If a counterfeit bill is received obtain a description of the individual who passed it and contact the police immediately to report the incident. Educating yourself in what to look for and reporting any incidents to police in a timely manner is important to help prevent further counterfeit bills from being passed.