FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15 September 2008
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OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Sûreté du Québec, and the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal are warning the public that counterfeit $100 notes of the latest bank note series (the series that features a metallic stripe) are circulating in the Greater Montréal Area.
"Cash handlers and the public can easily detect these bogus bills by verifying the security features found on bank notes," said Gerry Gaetz, Chief of Banking Operations at the Bank of Canada. "This recent increase in counterfeit $100 bills serves as a reminder to stay vigilant."
Prevention and detection are essential in the fight against counterfeiting. Police are encouraging consumers, cash handlers, and retailers to familiarize themselves with the security features on bank notes to protect themselves and keep counterfeits out of circulation.
Possession of counterfeit notes is a criminal offence. Citizens are asked to contact their local police service or the office of the regional coordinator of the RCMP Counterfeit Program at 514 939-8319 to share any information that they might have.
To learn more about bank note verification, please see the attached Quick Tips. The Bank of Canada provides free training materials on counterfeit detection and is currently setting up information kiosks in the Greater Montréal Area. For more information, please call 1 888 513-8212.
For media inquiries, please call:
Bank of Canada
Jeremy Harrison
613 782-8782
