Masset police are warning people to watch for counterfeit money after a Port Clements gas station turned in a suspicious $20 bill.
Police have sent the bill to a special forensic lab in Ottawa for testing, says Const. Brent Keibel, but in the meantime, people should check their money carefully and report any dubious bills.
To check if a bill is real, people can look for a couple of things, says Const. Keibel. All $20, $50, $100 and $1000 bills have a colour change patch on the upper side of the bill that changes from gold to green when tilted and cannot be peeled off. Small green dots appear on either side of the bill, and these can be peeled off.
People with a magnifying glass can also check two other features of a legitimate bill. The eyes in every portrait appear life-like, and, in very tiny print on the front of the bill, the denomination numeral and the words 'Bank of Canada' appear in the background.
If you find a suspicious bill, turn it in to the nearest police station or credit union branch.