SHOP staff and traders are being warned about a flush of counterfeit money currently doing the rounds in Limerick.
Gardaí believe the notes are being brought into the country by scammers who are circulating them nationwide.
According to Garda John Finnerty of the Crime Prevention team at Henry Street Garda Station, “the tendering of counterfeit currency is rising and incidents of counterfeit/prop money being posted into Ireland are also rising. In many cases, business owners are detecting people using counterfeit €50 notes to buy small items.”
“To check if a euro note is genuine or counterfeit, cash handlers and members of the public should feel, look, and tilt the note,” Garda Finnerty said.
“The note is made out of cotton and should feel crisp and firm. The ink is raised, if you run your finger across the note the ink will feel thicker in parts.
“Check for a security thread, which will also state the numeral value of the note. Hold the note against the light to see 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. On the back of the note, the colour of the numeral value will change colour from purple to olive green to brown on the €50, €100, €200, or €500 notes.
“Check the note under UV light, whereby small fibres embedded in the paper will illuminate. Each note should have the signature of the President of the European Central Bank. The value of the note appears in the watermark, the security thread, and in the hologram”.
Anyone who is passed a counterfeit note of any denomination should hold on to it and contact Gardaí, Garda Finnerty concluded.
