Local business owners are being warned to be on the lookout for counterfeit money ahead of the holidays.
Det. Const. David Lea says Waterloo Regional Police have seen the number of counterfeit bills being passed in the region almost quadruple this year, with more than 90 cases so far.
The bills mostly consist of $20 and $100 bills. They are occasionally printed at home, and sometimes through more sophisticated methods.
“If they can get something close enough, it’s going to get past most people who aren’t looking for those security features,” Lea said.
By running a hand across the bill, and looking through the transparent windows, police say cashiers will be able to spot the illegal tender.
Eileen Grogan of Eating Well Organically in uptown Waterloo says she’s seen counterfeit notes come in before, and while they’re hard to pick out, it’s often how they’re presented that store owners need to watch out for.
“It's a matter sometimes of the time of the day, (typically the) end of the day, (and) the counterfeit seems to come in with suspicious looking customers who always tell you a story,” Grogan said.
Police say the most reliable tools when looking for a counterfeit bill are a cashier’s ability to see and feel the differences.
