Police in Salmon Arm, B.C., are warning area residents to be wary of counterfeit $50 and $100 bills.
The RCMP say the Canadian bills were detected in local business bank deposits, but noted that the fakes are easily detected at the point of sale.
Police also say a driver of a stolen vehicle associated with the counterfeit bills escaped capture on Tuesday.
According to police, they tried stopping the stolen vehicle and needed a spike belt to disable it.
“The driver of this vehicle was able to escape capture and remains unidentified at this time,” said police, adding some suspected counterfeit bills were found inside the vehicle.
RCMP also said an additional vehicle, a black Dodge or Chrysler Neon, also fled, and the driver of that car remains unidentified and at large.
Regarding the counterfeit bills, and trying to identify them, police suggest the following:
- Look at the hologram in that clear plastic window on the bills every time one is accepted for payment.
- The clear window should have the denomination of the bill in the hologram and the holographic picture of the face on the bill.
- The fake $50 and $100 bills have the number 5 on them and not the correct $50 or $100 denomination number.
- There may be a slight ridge along the clear plastic window where the plastic has been spliced together.
- The major indicator, however, is the number in that polymer strip. Look for the correct number to match the bill.
Police also suggest visiting the Bank of Canada for additional anti-counterfeiting security features on Canadian currency, like the $50 bill and $100 bill.