The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
BUSINESS owners and the general public are being warned to be on the look out following reports to gardaí of counterfeit banknotes being tendered in North Clare over the weekend.
Sergeant Triona Brooks, Crime Prevention Officer advised, “There are many security features incorporated into banknotes that make them difficult to recreate. Many of these features can be checked manually using the three step security check Feel-Look-Tilt test.”
She explained, “Most notes are embossed, usually the writing or the logo. The note should feel crisp, not limp, waxy or shiny. Security paper and special printing processes give banknotes a unique feel.
“Print lines should be sharp and well defined with no blurred edges. The colours should be clear and distinct with no hazy fringes.
“Check for the watermark image and security thread. The watermark should be hardly apparent until the note is held against a bright light source.”
She added, “For all bank notes, do not rely on just one feature to assess whether a note is genuine, check a few and if in doubt refer the item to your local financial institution.”
If you believe you are in possession of a suspect counterfeit note you are obliged to submit it to your local financial institution, the Gardaí, or the Central Bank’s National Analysis Centre, she concluded.
