By KATH GANNAWAY
COUNTERFEIT bank notes are again causing concern across the Yarra Valley with police repeating calls for people to check their money before it goes in the wallet.
Warburton and Healesville police have had instances of fake notes in circulation over the Christmas/New Year period.
The Mail reported last year that $50 and $20 notes were out there, and that businesses and individuals were being caught out.
Senior Constable Tony Pagels of Warburton police said the notes were ‘good’, but there were give-aways if people checked them.
The notes crumple and don’t spring back into shape as genuine notes do. Another give-away is that the see-through watermark is stuck on and in some cases is visibly obvious, in others feels ‘stuck on’.
In some cases, the notes are not perfectly cut.
Features of genuine banknotes include that they are difficult to tear and have the Australian Coat of Arms visible when held up to the light. They also have specially-raised ink that can be felt by hand, as well as micro-printed words throughout the note and serial numbers will glow under UV lights.
Sen Const Pagels urged people to check their notes, refuse to take a note they are suspicious of and report any anomalies to the police or Crime Stoppers immediately.
“The person who handed us this note said it was in his transactions for the whole of the Saturday and was unable to say who he had received it from,” he said.
“We are hoping that if people get one they will turn their mind to where they might have received it and any details they can provide to help with our investigations.”
It is an offence to knowingly possess or pass on counterfeit banknotes in Australia.
People who believe they have been given a counterfeit note are urged to store the note in an envelope, take note of relevant information, such as how they received the note, and report the matter to either Victoria Police or the Australian Federal Police.
