Facebook sellers targeted with counterfeit money
Getty ImagesPolice have issued a warning after people selling items on Facebook were targeted with fake money.
Officers from Staffordshire Police said there had been multiple reports since Christmas of counterfeit notes circulating in the county.
The force said a woman selling on Facebook marketplace was duped on 28 December after a buyer handed over £1,000 in counterfeit notes in exchange for a mobile phone.
On Monday, a seller in Tamworth reported he sold a guitar on the same platform and accepted £300 in notes, which were also fake.
A police spokesperson said: "Counterfeit notes directly fund organised crime and damages the UK economy, creating losses for businesses and ultimately affecting the cost of things we buy."
They urged sellers to examine notes closely to ensure they have sharp edges and no smudges, as well as checking the see-through windows and metallic images.
Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
