Counterfeit $20 'training' notes used to teach Chinese bank tellers are circulating Australia - as police reveal how to spot the fakes

  • Counterfeit $20 note found in circulation at Northern Rivers in New South Wales
  • An unsuspecting elderly man went to pay for hay when the forgery was noticed
  • Police said it could have been a one-off incident but have advised caution
  • Key differences include dotted lines in top corner and white patch at the bottom 

By Aidan Wondracz For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 00:32 EDT, 1 April 2019 | Updated: 00:32 EDT, 1 April 2019

Counterfeit $20 notes originally made to train Chinese bank tellers have been found in circulation.

Police first came to learn of the fake notes after an unsuspecting elderly person tried to purchase hay in the Northern Rivers area in New South Wales on Thursday.

'Police attached to Richmond Police District are investigating an incident where a $20 training note was used to pay for an item from a Facebook advisement,' Richmond Police District said in a post on Facebook.

Counterfeit $20 notes originally made to train Chinese bank tellers have been found in circulation (pictured, counterfeit banknote)

Counterfeit $20 notes originally made to train Chinese bank tellers have been found in circulation (pictured, counterfeit banknote)

Police first came to learn of the fraudulent money after an unsuspecting elderly person tried to purchase hay in the Northern Rivers area in New South Wales on Thursday (pictured, real banknotes)

Police first came to learn of the fraudulent money after an unsuspecting elderly person tried to purchase hay in the Northern Rivers area in New South Wales on Thursday (pictured, real banknotes)

'An elderly person paid for some hay and was unaware they had the training note amongst other $20 notes in their possession.'

While the counterfeit note may look like the real deal without close inspection, police have noted there are glaring differences.

Two dotted lines are printed on the top right hand corner, the note is made of a material that is different to the distinct plastic of a regular one and a white patch is in place of the typical transparent window in the bottom corner.

And if you're still unsure, Chinese characters are printed on the note and are believed to translate in English, 'training money'.

While police have said the transaction could have been a one-off, they are still urging caution.

'It’s a timely reminder for people to be vigilant when dealing with large amounts of money making sure there are no counterfeit or fake notes being circulated,' police said.

According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, tens of thousands of imitation notes are detected every year.

As a response, newly designed $5, $10 and $50 banknotes were released between 2016 to 2018, with the new $20 note expected to hit wallets in October.

If someone has a counterfeit note, they won't be compensated for turning it in - and if they try to spend it, they could be charged. 

According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, tens of thousands of imitation notes are detected every year (pictured, stock image)

According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, tens of thousands of imitation notes are detected every year (pictured, stock image)

Dead giveaways of a fake banknote 

While the Reserve Bank of Australia tries to tackle the problem of fraudulent banknotes, here's a few giveaways you can look out for yourself: 

1. Australian banknotes are printed on plastic and have a typical feel to them, and are difficult to tear along the edge. If you ball up a banknote, it should spring back into place.

2. Hold up a banknote to the light - if it's real, you will see a vague shape of the Coat of Arms. 

3. Circles are printed on either side of the banknotes and encompass diamond-shaped patterns. When you hold the note to the light, the patterns come together to form a seven-pointed star.

4. The transparent window in the bottom corner of the note should have embossing on the $10 note. For $20, $50 and $100, the value should also be included. Also, the white image should be indelible. 

 

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Counterfeit $20 note found circulating in Northern Rivers

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