Quinte West OPP is letting the public know that counterfeit $100 bills are circulating in the area and to follow guidelines to avoid being victimized.
Over the past week, Quinte West OPP members have investigated several incidents of this counterfeit money and are encouraging residents to inspect bills thoroughly by using the Feel, Look and Flip Method:
Feel the note
- Raised ink: “Bank of Canada” and main portrait should feel slightly raised.
- Texture: Genuine Canadian bills are printed on a smooth polymer and should not feel like paper.
Look at the bill
- Transparent window: Check the large transparent window, it should contain a metallic portrait and building that match the main image on the front of the bill and the bills denomination will appear as a starburst.
- Frosted maple leaf: Look for the small, frosted maple leaf window.
- Details: Genuine notes have crisp and clear text and intricate details. And the holographic strip should be flush with the note.
Flip the bill
- Color shifting: When you tilt the bill, the metallic portrait in the large transparent window should change color.
- Mirror image: Look for a mirror image of the metallic portrait and building on the other side of the large window
- Other tips: Check if the serial numbers are duplicated, genuine bills will have a unique serial number. If a bill has a slightly different color, pictures that wear off easily, large creases in the middle, or feels like regular paper, it may be fake.
If you suspect that you are in possession of a counterfeit bill, you are asked to contact the police or bring it to your bank.
