Police are investigating a spate of fake Scottish £20 notes in circulation across Huddersfield.
A number have been seized in shops in Holmfirth and Marsden.
And police believe others will be around.
The notes are thought to be good-quality fakes.
Officers say anyone working in a shop or small business who has had someone try to pass on one of these notes, or has accepted one should get in touch with PC 6267 Sally Baines at Holmfirth Police Station via 101.
Alternatively they can get in touch by email on sally.baines@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk
A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: “There have been numerous reports of the notes being used in Holmfirth, Marsden and also other areas of Huddersfield.
“We are investigating the notes and are in the process of obtaining CCTV, and further information.”
The Royal Bank of Scotland has issued advice to people who are concerned.
How to check £20 notes:
- Serial Numbers: Genuine notes have unique serial numbers therefore if you have two notes displaying the same serial number at least one of them is a counterfeit.
- Paper: Genuine banknote paper should be reasonably crisp and not limp, waxy or shiny and the special printing processes give banknotes an individual feel. It should not feel like normal paper.
- Watermark: Genuine watermarks should be hardly apparent until the note is held up to the light when the clear portrait with subtle light and shade becomes visible. The watermark on RBS is an image of Lord Ilay who appears on the front of the banknotes.
- Security Thread: Genuine notes have a metallic thread embedded in the paper and when the note is held up to the light the thread appears as a bold continuous line
- Printing: Raised print is used in some of the features on genuine banknotes and should feel slightly rough to the touch. Lines and print should be sharp and well defined with no blurred edges. Colours should be clear and distinct – not hazy. The wording on RBS banknotes is in raised print.
- Move/Tilt: If a genuine note bears a hologram the colours/images will change depending on the angle the note is held
- Detector Pen: When applied; detector pens leave a dark line on most counterfeit notes; if the note is genuine the pen leaves no mark. Mark a suspect banknote diagonally from corner to corner
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A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: “If you have a banknote that you believe to be counterfeit, and you know for sure who gave you the note, you should take it immediately to the police for investigation.
