Olds RCMP are seeing a surge in counterfeit $50 and $100 U.S. bills, according to Cpl. Michael Black.
He has no specific numbers on the amount of counterfeit bills circulating in the town, but says police have noticed a spike.
Black has a theory as to why the spike seems to be in U.S. bills.
"Our money has become a little bit harder to manipulate now with the new bills that are coming out ñ or have been out for a while," he says. "The U.S. seems to be the way to go."
He urges local businesses to watch out for possible fake U.S. currency.
"We have heard of a couple of instances of counterfeit Canadian bills being used, but this is the first I am hearing about U.S. bills being used," Olds & District Chamber of Commerce president Ben Stone says.
He too urges businesses to scrutinize currency more carefully than ever.
"Raising awareness generally acts as a strong deterrent for the criminals," he says.
Stone also urges any business seeing "suspicious activity" to report that activity to police and to alert other business owners to what they've encountered.
Olds Rural Crime Watch secretary-treasurer and chamber of commerce secretary-treasurer Judy Schlichenmayer agrees with that advice.
"Summer is a time they circulate, especially U.S. bills with tourists and staff unfamiliar with them," she says. "Education is absolutely the key."
Schlichenmayer says she receives RCMP news releases on crime and posts that information on the Olds Rural Crime Watch website. She says that information is also forwarded to the Olds & District Chamber of Commerce office to be circulated to chamber members.
"It's disappointing to hear about people trying to use counterfeit bills for a number of reasons, but I think the main one is that they are trying to exploit people who rely on this income to do things like pay for groceries and put their kids into extracurricular activities," Stone says.
"It's frustrating to know that some people put their own interests above those who are trying to make an honest living to provide for themselves and their families."
"It's frustrating to know that some people put their own interests above those who are trying to make an honest living to provide for themselves and their families." BEN STONE PRESIDENT OLDS & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
