Man charged in counterfeit currency case

A man in his 20s is facing charges and was arrested in a counterfeit currency investigation.

Ottawa police’s organized fraud section said they found several retail stores across the Ottawa area with fake $20 bills. They believe the same suspect attended the stores and purchased items. The bills often are undetected by front-line staff and aren’t discovered until later, police say, usually when bill-counting machines or other measures are being used.

Officers said these fake bills are difficult to detect at first but one key thing is that they often share the same serial number.

As a result of the investigation, a man in his 20s was charged with uttering counterfeit currency and possession of counterfeit currency. He was released on several conditions, the press release reads.

Anyone who believes they may have received counterfeit currency or has information about these incidents is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Reporting Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 7300.

Here are some ways to tell if the currency is counterfeit:

• Check serial numbers when accepting cash, each bill should have a unique serial number
• Check the window on the bill for tiny numbers matching the denomination
• Verify that the portrait in the window matches the main portrait
• Use a small, bright light to see tiny numbers in the maple leaf window
• Ensure the image in the window changes colour
• Feel the raised ink on the main portrait by running your finger over it
• Observe the bill to see if it is identified as “prop money” or “for film use only,”  often times, this can be seen in the fine print