Counterfeit $100 notes discovered: Bank of Canada and the Toronto Police Service remind the public and retailers to be vigilant

The Bank of Canada and the Toronto Police Service are reminding the public and retailers to pay close attention to the bank notes they receive. A number of counterfeit $100 notes have been passed mainly in the Greater Toronto Area in the last few weeks.

"This incident reminds us that we must always remain vigilant against counterfeiting," said Gerry Gaetz, Chief of Banking Operations at the Bank of Canada. "Counterfeiting rates in Canada have declined by over 75 per cent since their peak in 2004, but counterfeiters look for opportunities to pass notes where they can tell people aren't checking them."

These $100 counterfeits can be easily detected when compared with a note that you know is genuine. As always, we are advising retailers and the public to check two or more security features.

All denominations in the latest bank note series (those with the metallic stripe) have the same security features. Once you know how to check the features on one note, you know how to check any denomination. It takes only minutes to learn how and just seconds to check your money. Checking cash is a quick and reliable deterrent to counterfeiting.

See attached Quick Tips for information on what to look for. Training materials on counterfeit detection are available by calling the Bank's toll-free number at 1 888 513-8212, and they can also be downloaded from our website at www.bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes.

If you come across a bank note you believe to be counterfeit, please contact your local police.

For media inquiries, please call:

Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Media Relations 613 993-2999
http://www.rcmp.ca