Bank Note Counterfeiting - YouTube

Hi there, my name is Alex.

Cash ... there's nothing quite like it.

It's a popular means of payment.

And that creates opportunities for counterfeiters.

But our bank notes are tough to counterfeit.

I'm late ... I'm supposed to pick up my daughter at school.

She's not going to be happy I'm so late.

Can you hurry up, please?

I've really have to get going.

Sure.

Um, sir, I'm afraid I can't accept this bill.

It looks like it may be a counterfeit.

You've got to be kidding!

I got that from my bank this morning.

I don't believe this.

I'm sorry, you know these things happen.

I recommend you go to the police and maybe

have them check it out.

I don't have time for this.

Now, remember any one of us could have a counterfeit

in our possession and not know it.

If you sense that someone may be trying to pass a

counterfeit, you need to maintain your composure

and act professionally.

I've seen a lot of customers,

and you know sometimes I can sense who might be

trying to pull one over on me.

They might seem to be a little shifty,

or in a hurry, or they only have a large bill to use.

So, I know it's best to keep my cool,

check the bills carefully, and if any are suspicious,

I just say I'm not allowed to accept them.

In many cases, organized crime is behind the production

and distribution of counterfeit notes.

They often seek out easy targets,

such as businesses that don't check their cash.

Counterfeiting operations can be sophisticated

and the proceeds are often used to fund other serious

crimes in your community.

We need to play it safe.

There's no point in putting ourselves at risk.

I mean, you never know what sort of character you

may be dealing with, so I'm careful not to accuse

a customer of trying to pass a counterfeit.

If you come across a suspect note, advise the customer

to take it to the police for verification.

Once they have left, inform your supervisor,

who will contact the police.

Pass along any details that could help a potential

investigation: when it happened,

the value of the note, and a description of the person.

Keeping ahead of counterfeiting involves

more than issuing secure bank notes.

The security features are there for you to check!

This applies to both polymer and paper notes.

As a cash handler, besides checking your notes,

you can also help speed up the transition to polymer

notes by separating paper notes in your till,

and returning polymer notes to customers

whenever possible.

While polymer notes are very durable,

taking care not to crease or crumple them will keep

them looking their best and circulating longer.

Whether you are handling polymer or paper notes,

the security features are easy to check.

Let's take a look.

These notes are made from a single piece of polymer,

which contains a unique combination of

transparency, holography and other security elements.

A good way to check them is to Feel, Look, and Flip them.

Feel the smooth, unique texture of the polymer

note and the raised ink on the shoulders of the large

portrait, the large number and the "Bank of Canada" text.

Next, look at the transparent windows.

The large window has a metallic building and a

metallic portrait that matches the large portrait.

When you tilt the note, there are sharp colour

changes in the building and more subtle changes

in the portrait.

If you flip the note, you will see that the same

metallic images in the large window are repeated

in the same colour and detail on the back.

There's one more security feature you can use if

you're still unsure that a note is real.

You will need a small light source that's about

a metre away from you.

Locate the frosted maple leaf window and bring it

right up to your eye.

Look at the light through the window.

A circle of numbers matching the note's value will appear.

For more information about these and other security

features, visit the Bank of Canada's website.

Remember that criminals rely on you

not checking your notes.

More often than not, fake twenties are being passed

because crooks believe that larger bills are more

likely to be checked.

A sign saying you refuse large bills may be a

signal to counterfeiters that you are not checking

your notes at all, making you a potential target.

Any bill could be counterfeit,

so it's important to check them all.

Now if you are unsure about a note-old or

new-remember that you can always ask for another one.

With a little practice, checking several security

features will quickly become second nature to you.

I've made checking my cash a routine part of my job.

So, what do I do?

Well, at first I slide my fingers over the bill,

which lets me feel the smooth polymer and the

raised ink areas.

Next, I look through the transparent window

and give the bill a little tilt,

so I can see the colour shifts in the metallic

portrait and building.

Then I flip the note and look at the same sort

of colour changes on the back.

If ever I'm not sure about a note,

I'll compare it to one that I know is real.

And that way, I protect my business and my

customers-they won't be getting fakes in their change.

Do your part to prevent bank note counterfeiting.

The leading-edge security features in our polymer

notes make them easy to verify and hard to counterfeit.

Use these features and see for yourself.

By checking all notes and promptly reporting cases

of suspected counterfeit notes to police,

you can play an important role in helping them track

down counterfeiters and reducing crime.

It's important to us all.