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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-12-23, Page 8a -THE HURON EXPOSITOR. 0SOIIN1BER 23, 1!!a Counterfeiting on increase in Canada, says RCMP officer BY DAVID EMSLIE CLINTON - Counterfeiting is on the increase in Canada, and it is a problem that is only going to get worse. This was the message from Cpl. Moshe Gordon, the "0" Division Counterfeit Coordinator with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) when he gave two seminars last week on how to recognize counterfeit Canadian and American currency. During the afternoon session last Wednesday in the Clinton Arena, Constable Don Shropshall, community services officer with the Huron OPP, explained that he was asked some time ago if the OPP could host a seminar. "There was some concern about the fact that it is working it's way up into this area more and more," he said. Gordon explained that five years ago, there was very little problem with.counterfeit Canadian bills, hut, "now we're having a big, big problem." After asking those in attendance if they had ever come across a counterfeit bill in their business, he noted, "If you have a problem with counterfeits, it is only going to get worse. If you don't have a problem now, you will have one." Gordon said the RCMP created its counterfeit division in 1992. when he was named to the coordinator's position. He said if someone knows what to look for, and if they know what' is on a Canadian hill, they should easily be able to recognize counterfeit money., He 'added that while he has yet to sec a ,goo,d Canadian counterfeit, many pebple just don't know what to look for. He suggested that that if someone comes across 'a hill that they , suspect is counterfeit at their place of business. they arc within their rights to seize' that money. "You do have the right to holt onto that money and call the police,"the said. The local police, in this area the OPP, will take' the note, which will in turn be sent to the RCMP counterfeit bureau, which will determine if the note is genuine. While businesses can seize suspected counterfeit notes, Gordon advised against attempting to detain a person who is passing the suspect bill. He said, instead, to get a description of the person, and a license plate if possible. Bills are not the only Canadian currency being counterfeited. Gordon explained, noting that fake loonies have also been circulated. Professional counterfeiters, he said, "will counterfeit anything if they can make money on it. There is nothing in this world that can't he counterfeited." Until recently, he said, the majority of American counterfeits were made on offset presses, where every color used needs a separate plate. Therefore, the green and black American notes were the easiest to counterfeit on the press. Canadian currency, however, with its many colors, is "very, very difficult" to counterfeit on an offset press. The counterfeit business in Canadian bills, however, has been made easier with the advent of color laser photocopiers, computers and ink jet printers. . Bills made on color photocopiers, he said, will have a shine to them when they are held on a tilt. The colors on these bills can also flake off. With bills made on ink jet printers, he continued, the images are formed using little 'dots, of color. "You never should see fine little dots" on genuine bills, he said. In hills of a larger denomination, there is an optical security device. which is that gold square on the hill. These squares. Gordon said. should change color from gold to green when the hill is turned in the light. Counterfeiters. he said, have been sticking gold foil on bills, but 'they will not change color. ,He added, however, that "the bad guys have now come up with a foil with a color shift." The ,gold foil, though, can be pealed from a counterfeit bill. It cannot be peeled from a real bill. Another method of identifying counterfeit bills. Gon,on continued, is to look for planchettes - those little green dots on bills. These planchettes are mixed right in with the pulp when paper for money is being made, and if they are on the surface of a genuine bill, they should be able to be picked off without damaging the bill. Some counterfeit bills might appear to have planchettes, but efforts to remove them will put a hole in the bill. In other cases, the fake planchettes might be seen on only one side of a bill. Portraits on real bills should look lifelike, while portraits on fake bills can look flat. "The portrait is usually the first thing I look at on a bill," Gordon said,. noting he first looks at the eyes, which should be made of concentric circles. Real bills will also have texture, he said, as ink used on such features as numerals, portrait and coat of arms will feel more thick, or raised. "The majority of counterfeit notes are smooth," he said, noting that people who handle a lot of money will develop a feel for real money. "If you have the feel for money, depend on it." Canadian bills also contain tiny lettering, called micro - printing, which will show up on genuine bills. The lines on counterfeit bills, Gordon also pointed out, can look fuzzy. Addressing once again bills made with bubble jet printers, he explained that water spilt on those bills can cause the ink to smudge. American hills have a security device similar to planchettes, Gordon said. in that red and blue fibers are in the bills. "You should see them with the naked eye on the hack and front of the bill," he said, adding that like planchettes, the fibers close to the surface should he removable with tweezers. In looking for counterfeit American bills. he suggested looking for details. as one would with Canadian bills. For example. the eyes should again be made up of concentric circles. American, bills also have raised printing, and the chevron on the hill should contain 13 stars. These stars on counterfeit hills may just he dots. The key loop on the' bill should also not touch the chevron, which it does on .4# 44, a OPEN 4,, The Huron Expositor will be .,4 open the following days... 41 Wednesday Dec. 23 9:00 am to 5:00 pm THURS & FRI Dec. 24 & 25 - CLOSED _404 Monday Dec. 28 8:30 am - 5:00 pm DEADLINE - 1:00 P Tuesday Dec. 29 8:30 am - 5:00 pm .40 Wed. Dec. 30 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Thurs. Dec. 31 9:00 am to 2:00 pm 40 FRIDAY JANUARY 1, 1999 - CLOSED 4), Mon. Jan. 4 - Business as usual! The Huron Expositor 100 Main St. Seaforth 52? -0240 counterfeits. In a video shown by Gordon, it was noted that differences between counterfeit and genuine bills should be noticeable to the naked eye. "No one will ever be able to produce and exact duplicate of a genuine note," the video stated. Participants were given the opportunity to handle counterfeit hills and look for differences. In passing around the bills, Gordon noted the the number one counterfeit note in Canada right now is the $100 hill made on an ink jet printer. This hill appeared in May of this year. In closing his presentation, he stressed the problem is going 10 get worse. "Counterfeit notes will he getting Netter and better because the technology is getting better and better." Wrap up Christmas with our great toy clearance! See in store for Tots more. Limited quantities. Sorry, no rainchecks. 'Our regular prices. leCANADIAN TIRE - GODERICH FE s.• HWY. #S, GODURICN o- Ko. ",. " 524-2121 o ' q it t . A HAVE A VEkY•� co��. errC1th/mas �s ‘Q�� fromaft ofusatDCO it we wish you a 5 -[appy Holiday Season TKO has it all including.... Se.tssn Speci&s FREE SOFTWARE omit '\1ARI'l I 11 . 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