Gardaí have today issued a warning to businesses in Ireland after an increase in seizures of counterfeit money in Ireland.
A number of searches have been carried out in recent days across Laois, Offaly and Kildare, due to an influx of counterfeit cash being posted into Ireland, according to a Garda report.
During one search over €94,000 worth of imitation currency was obtained by investigators and a woman in her 20s was arrested at the scene - later to be released without charge.
After this, a second search was carried out where €5,000 in forged cash was seized and a man aged 21 was taken into custody before being officially charged.
In line with the rise in counterfeit/ prop money in Ireland, businesses are being warned that a lot of the time people are using fake €50 notes to buy small items in return for change.
In a bid to stop the fake money being used, here is a simple to follow method of ensuring the cash you're being handed is real - you should Feel, Look, Tilt and Check the note:
Feel
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.
Look
Check for a security tread which will also state the numeral value of the note.
Hold the note against the light to see the watermark and the numeral value.
Tilt
When you tilt the note you should see a hologram which will also show the value of the note.
On the back of a real bank 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
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.
