Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Saanich police warn of counterfeit $100 bills

Several reports of counterfeit $100 Canadian bills being used as payment for small purchases in stores have prompted Saanich police to issue a warning.

Several reports of counterfeit $100 Canadian bills being used as payment for small purchases in stores have prompted Saanich police to issue a warning.

The suspect or suspects are paying for inexpensive items with a $100 bill, and leaving with the change.

The counterfeit bills are convincing at first glance, and so are accepted at the buinesses, Saanich police said. The fact that the bills are fakes is usually discovered shortly afterward.

The attached photos show one of the fake bills where the transparent areas have been cut out of legitimate bills of lesser value, and then taped or glued into a forged bill. In the vertical transparent panel, you can see the number 10 repeated throughout. If it were a legitimate $100 bill, that number would be 100. Also, the transparent maple leaf has clearly been cut out and adhered to the bill.

People who inadvertently accept a counterfeit bill are asked to put it in an envelope and call police.

More information about legitimate bills and their security features can be found at the Bank of Canada website.