Police in the greater Charlottetown area are investigating the tendering of very poor quality counterfeit $100 bills.
Stratford RCMP and Charlottetown Police Services both issued news releases to that effect on Thursday.
Consumers and retailers are asked to ensure they authenticate currency before accepting and report any suspicious bills to police.
Merchants and members of the public should routinely check bank notes for security features, both to protect themselves against loss and to prevent counterfeit bills from remaining in circulation.
Look for two or more security features by touching, tilting and by holding the bill up to the light or comparing it to a bill known to be authentic. Also, check the serial numbers and report any suspicious bills to police.
Charlottetown residents are asked to call city police at 629-4172 if they have any information regarding the counterfeit bills while anyone can call in tips to P.E.I. Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
If business owners would like more information about recognizing counterfeit bills, they are encouraged to visit the Bank of Canada website for more information and instructions for themselves and staff: http://www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes/counterfeit-prevention/
