Business owners across Donegal are being warned to watch out for fake notes this Christmas shopping season.
It comes after counterfeit £50 notes (Bank of Scotland) were in circulation in Buncrana on Saturday the 16th of November.
Gardaí say those in possession of the fake notes are using tricks to turn them into viable cash.
“In one instance a male entered a takeaway and ordered food. He paid using the counterfeit note and when he received his change he immediately left the premises without the food,” said Garda Niall Maguire in a communty appeal.
“A male also entered a shop in Buncrana on Saturday and presented a counterfeit note as payment but the staff member refused to accept it as they realised that it was not genuine. He left the shop immediately.”
Gardaí in Donegal are urging business owners to advise their staff to thoroughly check all notes received.
Garda Maguire said: “Some of these notes can be produced in a very professional manner and the best way to ensure that it is genuine currency is to have staff use a counterfeit note checker pen or similar methods at the points of payment.”
Nationally, more than 700 incidents of counterfeit currency have been reported between January and October, up from 130 reports in the same period last year.
Gardai say check if a euro note is genuine, cash handlers and member of the public should FEEL, LOOK, TILT and CHECK the note:
“The note is made out of cotton and should feel crisp and firm.
“Hold the note against the light and look for the watermark and the numeral value.
“When you tilt the note you will see a hologram which will also show the value of the note.
“Check the signature of the President of the European Central Bank.”
