Swindon people are being warned by the police to beware of fake £20 notes when selling online.
In the last month, the police have had two reports of fake £20 notes being used to buy items from online marketplaces.
In both incidents the products were paid for in cash which consisted entirely of these fake £20 notes, all carrying the same serial number.
The force has issued a list of tips for users of online marketplaces:
- When engaging in a sale, always try and get as much information about the other individual as possible. Not all ‘for sale sites’ require membership details and buyers can therefore use private numbers and fake names without having to disclose their home or email address
- Be very wary of a buyer who states they can come and collect immediately, or someone who is prepared to travel a great distance
- A fraudulent buyer will want to leave quickly and may appear eager to hand over cash or reluctant to negotiate a price
- Always check the money you receive - if it doesn’t feel right then it might be a fake
- Remember to check for detail in the watermark and for a silver strip on both sides of the note, and check for the sharpness of the notes' ink as some counterfeit currency can appear blurred
- Always check serial numbers - the police have encountered fraud cases in which a large number of bank notes were handed over with the same serial numbers
- If suspicious of a buyer, record details of the vehicle they arrived in and make the police aware of this - and consider delaying the sale and calling 999
- If a transaction has gone ahead and you then realise the bank notes are fake, minimise the handling of the notes and call 101 so they can be recovered for examination
Anybody who has sold an item and been paid with £20 notes with a suspicious serial number is asked to call the police on 101 and quote crime reference number 54220014823.
In both incidents the products were paid for in cash which consisted entirely of these fake £20 notes, all carrying the same serial number.
The force has issued a list of tips for users of online marketplaces:
- When engaging in a sale, always try and get as much information about the other individual as possible. Not all ‘for sale sites’ require membership details and buyers can therefore use private numbers and fake names without having to disclose their home or email address
- Be very wary of a buyer who states they can come and collect immediately, or someone who is prepared to travel a great distance
- A fraudulent buyer will want to leave quickly and may appear eager to hand over cash or reluctant to negotiate a price
- Always check the money you receive - if it doesn’t feel right then it might be a fake
- Remember to check for detail in the watermark and for a silver strip on both sides of the note, and check for the sharpness of the notes' ink as some counterfeit currency can appear blurred
- Always check serial numbers - the police have encountered fraud cases in which a large number of bank notes were handed over with the same serial numbers
- If suspicious of a buyer, record details of the vehicle they arrived in and make the police aware of this - and consider delaying the sale and calling 999
- If a transaction has gone ahead and you then realise the bank notes are fake, minimise the handling of the notes and call 101 so they can be recovered for examination
Anybody who has sold an item and been paid with £20 notes with a suspicious serial number is asked to call the police on 101 and quote crime reference number 54220014823.
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