Dear Members,
Alert: Fake £20 notes in circulation in Raynes Park
On 17/08/2011 it became apparent that numerous counterfeit £20 notes had been tendered as legal currency within the Raynes Park Town Centre businesses. This email is sent to raise awareness of ways to detect if a banknote is genuine.
The serial number of the note in circulation is DK51674934 which I urge all readers and businesses keep an eye out for when handling £20 notes.
What should I do if I think I have been given a counterfeit note?
If you think a note that you have is a counterfeit you must take it to the police as soon as you can. They will provide you with a receipt and send the counterfeit to the Bank of England for analysis. If the note is genuine reimbursement will be made in full.
A counterfeit note is completely worthless and it is a criminal offence to hold or to pass on a note which you know to be counterfeit.
Don’t get caught out by the counterfeiter; always check your banknotes.
What type of UV lamp should I use to check that a banknote is genuine?
A good quality ultra violet (UV) lamp that emits light at around 365 nanometres is best for checking the fluorescent feature on the £5, £10 and £20 notes (the £50 note does not have the fluorescent feature). The use of LED (Light Emitting Diode) devices (such as key fob type detectors) is not recommended as the majority of these emit light at greater than 365 nanometres.
Retailers are reminded not to just check one security feature but to check a few such as the feel of the paper and the raised print, the watermark and metallic thread. Details on the checks to make can be found in the leaflet “Take a Closer Look” which is available free from the Bank of England.
Can I use a “detector pen” to check that banknotes are genuine?
Simple tests reveal that some (but not all) counterfeit notes can be detected using such pens. The pens work by a chemical reaction between the pen ink and the paper. Using such pens is not a foolproof method of checking that a banknote is genuine because some counterfeits may be configured to react in the same way as genuine banknotes. Unreliability can also occur if pens are old or dirty. To check banknote authenticity retailers are again reminded to check several of the security features on banknotes such as the feel of the paper and the raised print, the watermark and metallic thread.
How do I check whether a note is genuine or not?
Take your time to check your notes, particularly if light conditions are poor or you are handling a large number of notes.
Never rely on just one security feature; no counterfeit notes successfully copy all of the security features included in Bank of England notes.
Thank you for reading
PS Dan Wheatley
Raynes Park Safer Neighbourhoods team
0208 721 2459
RaynesPark.snt@met.police.uk