Beware of fake U.S. currency, Sudbury police warn

Greater Sudbury Police are warning about fake U.S. currency being passed in the city after getting six complaints from businesses who have been victimized in the past few days.

“At this time, the counterfeit bills encountered in the area are $100 denomination, though information received from other agencies in Ontario indicates that counterfeit $50 denomination bills are also being distributed,” police said in a release.

“All businesses, big or small, are reminded to be extremely vigilant when accepting larger U.S. currency bills.”

Police also say businesses don't have to accept a large currency bill if they have concerns about the authenticity of the money being handed to them.

Anyone who believes they have received counterfeit currency is asked to contact Sudbury police, who are continuing to investigate.

“Anyone with information on the identity of the persons involved in the distribution of the counterfeit bills is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers,” the release said.

The American Secret Service has a website detailing which features to look for when trying to tell the difference between real and fake bank notes. It can be found at www.secretservice.gov/money_detect.shtml.

Police also advise businesses to consider keeping a legitimate U.S. bank note on hand – any denomination will do – to compare with any other bills they come across.