TWO counterfeit banknotes have been found in Bendigo recently.
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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.
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.