Fake notes circulating in the district

Picture this: you're serving a customer at your shop counter when they hand you what looks like a perfectly legit good ol’ Aussie pineapple aka a $50.

But something feels off. The texture's wrong, the window's murky, and when you look closer, there's tiny text saying ‘motion picture use only’.

That's exactly the scenario police in the district are warning local business owners and residents about, after reports of counterfeit currency doing the rounds in our community.

"Imitation banknotes can look like real currency but are intended to deceive people, have no value and are not legal tender," police said in their community alert this week.

While Australia's counterfeiting rates remain relatively low nationally - with only around 12,000 fake notes detected across the country in 2021/22 - even a handful circulating locally can cause real headaches for small businesses and residents who get stuck with worthless paper.

The good news is that Australian banknotes have some pretty distinctive security features that make counterfeits relatively easy to spot once you know what to look for.

Police have outlined four key warning signs that should set off alarm bells:

Genuine Australian notes are made from polymer - a type of plastic that has a distinctive smooth, almost slippery feel.

Counterfeits often use paper, which feels completely different in your hands.

"If it feels like paper, it's probably fake," one local business owner told us.

Every genuine Australian note has a clear circular window in the bottom left corner that you can see straight through. On counterfeits, this window is often black or too murky to see through properly.

Some fake notes literally have text on them indicating they're for motion picture use only - these are prop notes used in films and TV shows that have somehow made their way into circulation. They're completely worthless as currency.

The serial numbers in the top left and bottom right corners of genuine notes should be identical. If they don't match, you've got a fake.

The Reserve Bank of Australia's latest figures show counterfeiting remains at historically low levels, with only about six fake notes detected per million genuine ones in circulation. The new series of banknotes - the ones with the tactile bumps for vision-impaired users - have proven particularly difficult to counterfeit.

Most counterfeiters have been targeting the older $100 notes, though the quality of fakes varies dramatically.

Some are incredibly crude and easy to spot, while - according to banking security experts - others require a closer look.

"While the overall counterfeiting rate is low, the quality of counterfeits varies, with some being very crude and others being more sophisticated."

The boys in blue are urging people to trust their instincts.

If something feels off about a note, take a moment to check it properly. And if the person handing it over rolls out the aggro when you start examining their money more closely, that's a red flag worth taking seriously.

"If there is any doubt and the person presenting the note becomes confrontational, give your local police station a buzz pronto to attend and assist," police advised.

If you do end up with a counterfeit note, the Australian Federal Police recommend handling it as little as possible.

Pop it in an envelope, write down how you came to have it, and take it to your local police station to lodge a report.

Just remember - there's no reimbursement for counterfeit notes, so the few seconds it takes to check could save you real money.

For local business owners especially, it's worth taking a moment to familiarise your staff with these security features.

A quick feel of the polymer, a glance at the clear window, and a check of those serial numbers could be the difference between accepting genuine currency and getting stuck with worthless paper.

The reality is that while counterfeiting isn't a huge problem nationally, when it does happen locally, it tends to affect the same businesses and community members repeatedly as the fake notes get passed along.

By staying alert and sharing this information with neighbours and fellow business owners, we can help keep these counterfeits from circulating further through our community.

If you have any concerns about suspicious currency, contact your local police station pronto.