Essex: Fake Bank Notes Circulating

14 May 2012, 06:00

Essex Police are warning a large number of fake £20 notes are in circulation.

The counterfeit notes started appearing in the Clacton area about two weeks ago but reports about them have suddenly increased in the past few days.

Investigations now suggest that the number of the counterfeits in circulation could run into the hundreds.

The police have told Heart that the fakes can be identified by three obvious faults: The foil dots in the middle have two small '20's' printed underneath,  the foil strip extends right to the end of the note, where as on genuine notes it stops before the edge, and the watermark looks more like a stamp than the genuine integrated watermark. 

On Thursday, May 10, a 23-year-old woman from Clacton was arrested on suspicion of possessing counterfeit bank notes and possessing Class A and B drugs. She has been bailed pending further enquiries.

Anyone finding a fake note should contact police  on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously with any information about who is making or distributing the notes.