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Due to the rise of counterfeit money around the local area here is some advice you can use to help. To stay safe from counterfeit money, always check multiple security features on a banknote using the "feel, look, and tilt" method, and never knowingly pass on a suspect note, as this is a criminal offence. If you suspect a note is fake, do not put yourself in danger; politely refuse it or accept it and report it to the police immediately. If you have counterfeit notes, you should contact the police to report the crime. You should not try to spend them, and they will not be reimbursed unless they are found to be genuine. If you don't know who gave you the fake note, you can take it to a bank, which will send it to the Bank of England for analysis. If you receive a fake note Contact the police: Report the crime by calling 101, going to a police station, or reporting online. If the person who gave it to you is present, consider calling 999.Preserve the note: Put the note in a plastic wallet or paper envelope to preserve any potential fingerprints for the police to use.Review CCTV: If there is CCTV footage of the suspect, ask to have it downloaded and provided to the police.Do not spend it: Counterfeit notes are illegal to use and have no value. If you find a fake note Do not try to use it: You will not be reimbursed for a counterfeit note unless it is later identified as genuine.Take it to the bank: Go to a bank, and they will complete a "Retention of Counterfeit Currency Form" and send it to the Bank of England for analysis.If you know the person: If you know who gave you the note, take it directly to the police. How to spot a fake Check the security features: Familiarize yourself with the security features on genuine banknotes, such as the watermark, holographic stripes, and raised print.Use a UV lamp: Genuine notes have specific colors and patterns that appear under ultraviolet light.Be skeptical of detector pens: Detector pens are ineffective on polymer banknotes, as they are designed to detect starch in paper, not the polymer itself. Counterfeit banknotes | Bank of England Action Fraud | West Midlands Police Stoke & Wyken NHT. | 
