The North Bay Police Service is warning local residents of “counterfeit” $100 banknotes circulating in the area, but it’s not the first time these notes have turned up in Canada—or abroad.
“The bills are of poor quality, lacking a serial number, and have Chinese lettering,” Staff Sergeant Richard Dubeau told the Bay Today. “The ink will also transfer if wet. Residents and businesses are advised to carefully check bills during transactions and immediately report any suspicious bills to the North Bay Police Service.”
Anyone with additional information is asked to call the North Bay Police Service at 705-497-5555.
TRAINING NOTES?
Last August, Northeast District RCMP warned residents of fraudulent purchases being made with $20 and $100 banknotes that also featured Chinese lettering.
Police released an image of one of the counterfeit $20 notes, which includes pink Chinese lettering printed over the hologram strip on the right side of the obverse.
Last year in Australia, $100 notes with similar Chinese lettering were also used to make fraudulent purchases at local businesses.
A wide variety of international currency is available on eBay, where they’re listed as Chinese training banknotes.
According to Australian police, these notes were produced to train Chinese bank tellers to identify foreign currency. The markings on these notes translated to “Training Money. SAMPLE. Only for practice. Circulation Forbidden.”
“These notes are the kind that are available quite commonly over eBay,” Australian Detective Senior Sergeant Glenn Leafe told ABC News last May. “They are training notes. They’re not a counterfeit currency so to speak but they are something that can be used to deceive store owners.”
A wide variety of international currency is available on eBay, where they’re listed as Chinese training banknotes. One offering, from user “dgjoyen,” is selling 100 $100 U.S. banknotes for about $4.60 Cdn.