We are warning people to be extra vigilant this month and not fall victim to social media or local selling scams, after a number of counterfeit notes were found in circulation in Staffordshire. Fraud investigators are aware that, with Christmas being over, many people are looking to sell unwanted gifts or are on the look-out for a bargain themselves. Legitimate sellers are using social media platforms to advertise items, and at the point of sale, are being handed counterfeit notes by fraudulent buyers as payment. Officers have received multiple reports of the counterfeit currency being identified after items have been handed over, leaving genuine sellers out-of-pocket. In the space of three days, we received three reports of such activity - on 27, 28 and 29 December - taking place across the county. On Sunday 28 December, a genuine seller on Facebook marketplace was duped after she met a person purporting to be a genuine buyer, in a public place, and handed over a mobile phone for £1,000, which turned out to be fake. Most recently, yesterday (Monday 5 January), a seller in Tamworth reported that he had sold a guitar on marketplace and accepted £300 in notes, which were later revealed to be counterfeit. Counterfeit notes directly fund organised crime and damages the UK economy, creating losses for businesses and ultimately affecting the cost of things we buy. To ensure the money you’re being handed is genuine, use the ‘look, feel, tilt’ method – examine the note closely and ensure it has sharp edges and no smudges, run your fingers over the notes to check the note has different textures and raised print, then tilt the note to check the see-through window and metallic image on genuine polymer notes. Remember, it is always better to buy and sell goods using reputable banking services, or payment platforms such as PayPal or others, where you will have automatic protection. For more information on how to prevent yourself from falling victim to scams, visit: Advice about fraud | Staffordshire Police. To report fraudulent activity, visit the national Report Fraud website at: UK's Home for Reporting Cyber Crime & Fraud - Report Fraud, call us on 101, or use Livechat on our website. For more on how to identify counterfeit currency, see: How to check your banknotes | Bank of England. | 
