![Fake banknotes found Fake banknotes found](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/gzajA9j5yvatvSgWamdNVy/dd84ec79-3550-4f06-9c0d-111a99c75acc.jpg/r0_2_1200_677_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
TWO counterfeit banknotes have been found in Bendigo recently.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Earlier this week a business received a fake $50 note, and last week a business discovered a fake $20 note.
Leading Senior Constable Sue Pentland said there could be more in circulation in the area.
She said the notes in question were paper instead of plastic, but in a busy atmosphere, fakes could remain undetected until the business banked its money.
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s counterfeit detection guide says a suspect banknote might feel excessively thick or thin.
The guide says it should be difficult to start a tear on a real note, and a genuine banknote should spring back when scrunched up.
When the banknote is held up to the light, it should display the coat of arms and diamond shapes inside a small circle on the note should form a seven-pointed star.
The transparent window is another important security feature – the white image should not be easily rubbed off.
The window is also embossed with a wave pattern on the $10 note, and the value of the banknote on the $20, $50 and $100 notes.
![Security features present on real banknotes, including being made of plastic (1), a coat of arms present when held to the light (2), a seven-pointed star visible when held to the light (3), and a clear, embossed window with white images (4). Picture: RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA Security features present on real banknotes, including being made of plastic (1), a coat of arms present when held to the light (2), a seven-pointed star visible when held to the light (3), and a clear, embossed window with white images (4). Picture: RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/gzajA9j5yvatvSgWamdNVy/aafa816e-14ab-47d1-9507-fa7f0cd2e3dd.jpg/r0_0_700_428_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
More security features can be found at the RBA website.
Anyone who suspects they have received a counterfeit banknote should contact police on 5448 1300.
The RBA advises that suspect banknotes be handled as little as possible and stored in an envelope.
Those who come across a potentially fake banknote should also note any relevant information, including how it came into their possession.
Individuals and businesses are within their rights to refuse to accept a banknote if they have concerns about it.
Leading Senior Constable Pentland said it was important to remember that someone attempting to pay with a counterfeit note might be an unwitting recipient of the fake cash themselves.