KEY POINTS:
Auckland retailers are expecting more cases of counterfeit money to crop up because of the present economic climate.
In inner city Newmarket, shop owners and customers were today told to be wary of convincing replicas of $50 notes circulating in the area.
Newmarket Business Association head Cameron Brewer said police had warned that more fakes were likely to be in circulation undetected.
He said retailers should check their tills, and more importantly check $50 notes before accepting them, while many innocent people might have the notes in their wallets.
"Given the recessionary environment, I think it's fair to say we'll be seeing more cases of counterfeit money," he said.
"We haven't seen a lot of counterfeit cases in the past few years. However a negative economy will see more people turning to desperate measures and trying their luck."
Senior Sergeant Wendy Spiller said the fake notes appeared at first sight to be authentic, but the quickest way to check was to look at the clear screen on them.
The screen on the fake notes had a star-shaped outline, whereas there was a wave-like outline on authentic ones.
Authentic notes also had "50" printed on the screen.
A fake note used at a store in nearby Remuera also had rough edging in the picture of the fern, while obvious signs of the Queen's image did not show through when held up against the light.
- NZPA
