Interior B.C. businesses seeing increase in counterfeit money

The RCMP would like to advise the business communities throughout the Interior of the Province that several areas have recently experienced a spike in counterfeit money passing.

Since 2012-07-26, RCMP have received twenty three (23) complaints where counterfeit currency was either passed or attempted to be passed in the communities of Oliver, Osoyoos, Okanagan Falls, Penticton, West Kelowna, Lake Country, Salmon Arm and Kamloops.

These incidents involve Canadian Bank Notes in the $20.00, $50.00 and $100.00 denominations from the Canadian Journey Series (2001 – 2006).

The public, merchants and businesses should always check the security features of the Bank Note before accepting. The security features to check are:

• the watermark or Ghost image,
• the security thread,
• the overall print quality,
• the metallic or holographic strip and,
• the puzzle number or see through number.

"The typical Modus Operandi is for the passer to make an inexpensive purchase and pay with a large denomination, in turn receiving a large percentage of change back in authentic currency, leaving the bogus bill in the till. Feel, look and flip the bank note to check the security features," stated Cpl. Dan Moskaluk.

The RCMP would like to raise awareness to the public, businesses and merchants of these recent incidents involving counterfeit currency.

For more information on counterfeiting prevention go to the Bank of Canada website at: http://www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes/counterfeit-prevention/