Warning over rise in fake £20 'prop money' scams

Police have urged the public to be vigilant after a rise in reports of counterfeit money in circulation in South Yorkshire.

Officers received more than 25 reports of people and businesses being scammed with bogus currency in February and said "the trend has continued into March".

South Yorkshire Police said several of incidents involved high value online sales, with the victim being paid with hundreds of pounds worth of counterfeit £20 notes.

A spokesperson said some of the money had been found to be marked as "prop money" but had been altered to appear real.

The force has issued the following of details people should be aware of:

• The see-through window strip peels off to reveal "Prop Money"/ "For props only" written underneath
• The print quality and hologram are not as clear as legitimate notes
• There are no holographic elements within the clear windows
• There is no raised or textured lettering
• No numbers are printed on the archway part of the note

Anyone who believes they may have a counterfeit note is asked to contact police on 101.

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