Police in British Columbia (BC) are warning residents about counterfeit money circulating in several communities. On March 2, the North Vancouver RCMP revealed an increase in counterfeit $50 and $100 bills in the city. They stated that there had been at least 11 reports of sophisticated counterfeit bills being used at multiple stores in the past two months.
The announcement listed the following characteristics of the seized counterfeit bills: “They all have the same serial number,” “They are made of plastic material like genuine banknotes,” and “They have hologram stickers that mimic genuine banknotes.”
Earlier, on February 26, the Nanaimo RCMP issued a similar statement, citing at least 17 reports of counterfeit money use in Nanaimo, a city close to Metro Vancouver. Furthermore, according to reports on March 12, $11,000 worth of counterfeit bills were seized at a supermarket in New Westminster.
New Westminster police revealed that a man was attempting to use the counterfeit money when staff noticed the suspicious bills and called the police. Just on March 9, police in New Westminster had issued a warning about the widespread circulation of counterfeit money.
Counterfeit money is reportedly on the rise not only in Metro Vancouver but throughout the country. It was also reported that counterfeit money was being used in various parts of the country during last year’s Christmas shopping season.
North Vancouver RCMP Sergeant Mansall Sahak stated, “In Canada, using or possessing counterfeit money knowing it is counterfeit is a criminal offense. If you unknowingly accept counterfeit money as legitimate payment, you will not be compensated for the loss.”
He urged businesses to always verify that any cash payments they receive are in legitimate currency. Information on how to spot counterfeit money can be found on the Bank of Canada website: https://www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes/counterfeit-prevention/