Retailers warned about counterfeit $100 notes

Small retailers in Christchurch are being asked to take care to ensure any $100 bills they are given are not counterfeit.

Detective Sergeant Virginia Le Bas, of Christchurch Police, said the Canterbury Fraud Squad had received at least 14 counterfeit $100 notes since the middle of June.

Ms Le Bas said offenders were buying small items under $10 with the counterfeit notes and collecting a large amount of genuine change.

"I'd caution shops not to accept $100 notes from anyone they do not know. They are generally not very common in circulation and most money machines don't dispense them."

She advised anyone who was unsure about $100 notes they received to check them with their bank.

"For a small business, $100 is a lot of money to lose."

- NZPA