Police warning over fake bank notes circulating this Christmas

Fake bank notes are being circulated ahead of the festive period, police have warned.

According to police in the South West, scammers are sending out forged £10 notes as we approach Christmas.

However, the plastic notes introduced more than two years ago make it more difficult to create counterfeit money, Somerset Live reports.

Poole Police issued a warning in a Facebook post, saying: "FAKE £10 notes are circulating.

"These will be rife with Christmas approaching and money moving through hands fast.

"Stay safe and be 'Scam aware' this festive season."

Security features to look out for

The Bank of England has published official advice on identifying real notes, listing ten security features included on real tenners.

The security features are:

• The hologram image at the bottom of the note will change from displaying the word 'ten' to the word 'pounds' when tilted from side to side.
• The metallic image on the transparent window near the middle of the note should be gold on the front of the note and silver on the back.
• An image of the Queen with the words '£10 Bank of England' printed twice around the outside should be displayed in this transparent window.
• The foil '£' symbol at the bottom of the same window should be silver on the front of the note and copper on the back.
• The quill adorning the other side of the window should change from purple to orange and vice versa when the note is tilted from side to side.
• A silver foil patch containing a 3D image of the coronation crown should be on the front of the note above the see-through window.
• A copper foil patch in the shape of a book should be found on the beck of the note, directly behind the crown image on the front.
• The real notes are printed on polymer and you should be able to feel raised print, such as on the words 'Bank of England' across the top of the note.
• There should be no smudges or blurred edges on the printed lines and colours, and you should be able to see the value of the note written in small letters and numbers below the main portrait of the Queen.
• The number '10' should appear red and green against a duller background under a good ultraviolet light.

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