LPS warn of counterfeit money after fraudulent Marketplace purchase

Lethbridge Police are warning retailers and individuals to be on the lookout for counterfeit currency, after a man attempted to purchase a cell phone with fake 100-dollar bills. Police say on January 9^th they responded to a complaint from a person who sold an iPhone on an online Marketplace. When the seller tried to deposit nine one-hundred-dollar bills at a bank machine, they were rejected.

Police confirmed the bills used to purchase the phone had no raised ink, and seven out of the nine bills contained the same serial number. Stickers were also reportedly placed over the transparent windows that contained the words “copy” and “prop money.”

Police say 18- year-old Dylan Anthony Macko of Nobleford was arrested without incident on January 10^th and is facing numerous charges. He was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on January 23^rd.

LPS are providing ways to identify a fraudulent bank note, using the “Feel, Look and Flip” method.

FEEL the texture:
• Raised Ink: Run your fingers over the large denomination number and the words “Bank of Canada” on the front; they should feel raised and textured, not smooth like the rest of the polymer.
• Polymer: The note should be a smooth, single piece of polymer with transparent areas, not paper.

LOOK through the window:
• Transparent Window: Hold the bill up to a light to see the clear window.
• Frosted Maple Leaf: Inside the window, look for a frosted maple leaf with a transparent outline.
• Starburst Effect: When held to a bright LED light, the frosted leaf reveals the note’s value (e.g., “$50”) as a starburst pattern.
• Matching Portraits: The metallic portrait in the window should match the large portrait on the front.

FLIP the note:
• Color-Shifting Ink: Tilt the note to see the metallic image (portrait and building) in the window shift colors.
• Mirror Image: On the back, the metallic image should be repeated in the same colors and detail on the other side of the window.

If you are in doubt about the legitimacy of any bill, do not accept it.