Police warning after counterfeit money reported

Orkney police have reported that counterfeit money has been in circulation in the county recently.

They said their inquiries are ongoing and have advised business owners and those handling cash to be extra vigilant, especially when accepting larger notes.

Police have also asked people to check the following if they think they have been handed a fake note:

• Feel — Most notes are embossed, usually the writing or the logo. The note should feel crisp, not limp, waxy or shiny. Security paper and special printing processes give banknotes a unique feel.

• Look — Print lines should be sharp and well-defined with no blurred edges. The colours should be clear and distinct with no hazy fringes.

• Tilt — Check for the watermark image and security thread. The watermark should be hardly apparent until the note is held against a bright light source. Check for hologram features on some of the notes.

• UV light — Under ultraviolet (UV) light, barcodes are visible.

• Compare — Compare both sides of the notes to one you know is genuine.

• Detector pen — Do not rely solely on the pen — use it as a guide. Be careful not to use the pen on ordinary paper as this will lower its effectiveness and may lead to a genuine note being marked as fake.

For all bank notes, do not rely on just one feature to assess whether a note is genuine, check a few.

If you suspect that the currency is not genuine ask for another method of payment and contact Police on 101.