Ross-shire traders warned of fake banknotes
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POLICE in Ross-shire have issued a warning about counterfeit banknotes which are circulating locally.
The fakes are Bank of Scotland £10 notes of the current Bridge series which depict the Glenfinnan Viaduct on the rear.
Police are warning local shopkeepers and businesses to be vigilant.
They say the counterfeit notes can be readily identified by checking for the security features found in a genuine bank note. These include:
• A watermark to the right of the note - this is the portrait of Sir Walter Scott with a contrasting 10 (the portrait is dark and the 10 is bright).
• There is a metallic (window) security thread on the front of the note. This appears as a series of silver foil rectangles on the surface of the note that become a solid line when the note is held up to the light (also within the thread is £10).
• On the rear of the note is an iridescent band (gold strip) whic shimmers when the note is tilted and contains £10.
These particular counterfeit £10 notes have no watermark and the window security thread is just a series of silver rectangles applied to the surface of the note.
Further information regarding bank note security features can be found on the Committee of Scottish Clearing Banks (CSCB) website: scotbanks.org.uk (this includes details of features visible under ultra violet light and other points to check).
If you check the suspect counterfeit note against a known genuine the differences will be readily apparent.
Anyone coming in possession of these notes should contact Police Scotland on telephone 101.
Anyone with information about people passing or making counterfeit bank notes are urged to contact Police on 101 or confidentially through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
