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Fake £20! - Sue W (23rd Aug 2008 - 15:34:19) Just to alert people to the fact that there are a number of fake £20 in circulation. I was first alerted to the fact, by using a filling station in Hayling Island about 3mths ago. About 6 weeks ago, when paying for goods at our Wholesalers in Sunbury, they detected a fake, and said they had been given a few. We asked around other shops in Station Road and found that the Bakers also had some. Today, another 'customer' tried to purchase goods with a fake. I don't think he was an innocent party, but highly suspicious. On speaking to the lad in the CO-OP, they too had some last night!! If you are interested, the best way to tell is check the holographics. They should show an iridescent colour and change from 20 to £, the silver also flakes off; the security strip is either printed or not complete. Some have poor watermarks, but some are quite good. The paper quality is poorer and slightly thicker - but if you are not used to handling large quantities of cash, this would not be that noticeable. You can use the marker pens or UVlight units, but these are not much use when out shopping and receive them in change.

Re: Fake £20! - Rhys G (23rd Aug 2008 - 16:34:20) I know someone in the betting industry, and apparently the best and quickest way to check is to hold the note between your thumb and index finger and run your thumb across the '20' in the bottom right hand side on the side with the Queen, you should feel a slight 'bump'. Apparently, this is the method the bookies use when counting large quantities of cash at horse races. I really don't see though, in the grand scheme of things, if people who go to all the effort to produce such realistic fakes can't put a little bump in the corner, so maybe they've got around this one too by now!

Re: Fake £20! - Owen (23rd Aug 2008 - 18:51:54) Some weeks back we had a number of fake £20s where I work in Liphook. As Rhys said the bumps are a good way to check, but if you want to be really pedantic, the new design £20 has a holographic strip on the left - if you look about a 3rd of the way down this strip there should be a very faint scratch of "£20". This is apparently very difficult to forge.

Re: Fake £20! - claire (26th Aug 2008 - 15:15:07) I have a small UV light keyring which is really useful for checking notes. I have posted a link below but there are loads of suppliers. www.c-p-p.co.uk/... Also a quick check is to rub the note on a piece of white paper, there should be traces of the intaglio ink left behind (tho' not always). It is worth noting that the forgeries often come in clusters if you get one, you may pick up another in the same area. Always inform the police when and where you think you may have been handed the note as it could be part of a money laundering chain.

Re: Fake £20! - Sue W (29th Aug 2008 - 22:02:15) Ok We have had this story all over the papers and it made the Radio - and I understand that public Knowledge of such offences should be highlighted, but apart from comments that the Police should be alerted, WHAT SHOULD people do when handed a moodie note? I know Banks withhold them, so come on you legal beavers, where do retailers etc stand when one is given in purchase of something. Is it within our right to keep it - or should we hand it back for them to 'try their luck' elsewhere?

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