Police warn about fake £20 notes circulating in Preston

Preston Police have issued a warning about fake £20 notes that are currently circulating the city.

A series of notes have been have been identified as having improper serial numbers deeming them as fake.

Police are now informing people of how to spot a fake £20 note, especially local businesses.

A spokesperson for Preston Police said: “Recently we have had multiple reports of individuals using fake £20 notes in and around the city centre.

“We are encouraging businesses to be vigilant when notes are used.”

There are several ways that you can check the authenticity of a note.

By holding it up to a UV light, a bright red and green £20 will appear that is not visible under normal conditions.

When the note is tilted at an angle, a hologram of Scottish economist Adam Smith can be seen.

On the note, the text reading ‘Bank of England’ should be seen to be slightly raised.

By using a counterfeit note detector pen, scribbling on the note will result in it showing up in a brown or grey colour if it is a suspected fake.

The serial numbers that are known as fake on these notes are listed below:

If you suspect a note is fake, you can inform police by ringing up 101 or you can report it online.

Have you seen a fake £20 note in Preston? Do you run a local business? Let us know in the comments below