Police are urgently warning Australians to beware of counterfeit banknotes circulating in southern Tasmania.
Counterfeit $100 notes have been found in Hobart and the neighbouring suburbs of Glenorchy and Bellerive.
The counterfeit banknotes contain a number of important details that are easy to recognize.
“People might not immediately notice it, but the notes have words on them like ‘this is not legal tender’ and the normally clear plastic part is black and not transparent,” explains Inspector Klug Jason.
‘Be aware that these notes are in circulation and check that the money you are handling is legitimate.’
The way you feel a counterfeit banknote can also be an indication of whether it is genuine or not.
“When handling cash, you should check the banknotes for any inconsistencies like this before accepting them as payment,” Inspector Klug said.
There are counterfeit $100 notes (pictured) circulating throughout Hobart
Another way to spot counterfeit money is that it may be thicker or thinner than a real banknote and it will look different when you hold it up to a light source.
When you hold a real $100 note up to the light, you will see the Australian coat of arms at the top right. Diamond-shaped patterns appear on both sides.
The ‘window’ of a banknote must be transparent and have patterns printed in it.
Money printed by scammers sometimes also contains embossed ink that can be felt with the finger, unlike real money which is completely smooth.
They have the words ‘this is not legal tender’ in small letters at the bottom of the note
Real $100 bills have a transparent “window” that makes patterns visible when held up to the light and have no text on the bottom
Companies that have received counterfeit money are urged to provide all evidence, including CCTV footage, to the police.
If you come across counterfeit notes, you can report them to the police or Crime Stoppers.