Be on guard for fake notes

THE police have issued advice on spotting fake bank notes after a £20 Bank of England note was passed at a shop in Rushmere last Friday.

Police in Craigavon are urging business owners to take all necessary steps to ensure staff members know how to spot a counterfeit note.

The advice follows an incident on Friday, March 26, when a counterfeit 20 Bank of England note was tendered at a retail outlet in the Central Way area.

A spokeswoman said: "It is important that traders check each banknote tendered as payment for goods. There are a number of ways of telling if a currency note is genuine:

"Be wary of notes that look or feel different and/or that are faded.

"Check the quality of printing - the colours should be clear and the print on the banknote should be distinct and well defined with sharp fine lines, not blurred or soft edges.

"The banknote should be crisp and slightly rough in the heavily printed areas. It should not be limp, waxy or shiny. You should also always check for the watermark, which should not be apparent until the note is held up to the light.

"Genuine notes have a thread embedded in the paper and an individual serial number."

She continued: "Those who handle cash transactions should not rely solely upon special equipment or one single feature to identify a genuine banknote but should check all the features.

"If in doubt, compare a suspect note to one that is known to be genuine as this can often help to determine the authenticity of a note. A counterfeit bank note should not be returned to the person passing it.

"It is a criminal offence to try to pass or keep a banknote that you either know or suspect to be counterfeit. If you inadvertently receive a note that you believe to be counterfeit, you should take it to the nearest police station as quickly as possible.

"Anyone who has any information regarding the production or distribution of counterfeit banknotes, can contact police by calling 0845 600 8000 or alternatively contact the 'Crimestoppers' charity anonymously on 0800 555 111."