Police are warning people to be vigilant when selling items online after two reports of counterfeit money being used to pay for high value items in Swindon.
In the last month there have been two reports of fake £20 notes being used to buy items which had been placed on online marketplaces.
In both incidents, the products have been paid for in cash, which have consisted entirely of these fake £20 notes, all carrying the same serial number.
Police have offered the following tips:
- 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 that 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. Check for the sharpness of the notes ink as some counterfeit currency can appear blurred
- Always check serial numbers. We have had fraudulent cases where a large number of bank notes are handed over with the same serial numbers – these are fake
- If suspicious of a buyer, record details of the vehicle they arrived in and make the police aware of this
Police are urging sellers who are concerned they may be offered fake notes to delay the sale and call us 999.
If a transaction has gone ahead and you then realise the bank notes are fake, please minimise the handling of the notes and call 101 so they can be recovered for examination.
If you have sold an item and been paid with £20 notes with a suspicious serial number, please call police on 101 and quote crime reference number 54220014823.
