Kelowna RCMP are warning the public about the increase of counterfeit bills being used in Kelowna, West Kelowna and Lake Country.
Since Dec. 1, the RCMP said there have been 44 documented incidents of people who’ve used counterfeit Canadian and US currency in the three communities.
READ MORE: Fake U.S. bills passed throughout Central Okanagan
While several investigations have been launched to identify persons of interest, RCMP said business owners should remain vigilant when receiving money at this time.
“Kelowna RCMP hope to prevent further incidents where these fake bills are accepted by unsuspecting retailers in our community,” said RCMP Cst. Solana Pare.
“We recommend that business owners and operators review their policies and ensure that their employees familiarize themselves with the detection of counterfeit currency.”
Telling someone that you think a bill might be counterfeit and asking for another bill, advising someone to take the suspected counterfeit bill to local police for verification and documenting the suspected counterfeit incident are precautions RCMP said business owners can take to tackle the issue.
For more information on how to identify counterfeit currency, you can visit RCMP’s website.
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