By ALESHA CAPONE
A PENSIONER has warned other residents in Melton and Brimbank to be wary of counterfeit banknotes.
Mary Diele said she recently received a fake $50 note from a cashier at a Caroline Springs grocery store.
Ms Diele said she did not realise the money was not genuine until she took it to the bank to pay a bill, where the cashier tore the false currency up.
“The lady in the bank wouldn’t let me have it back after she ripped it up,” Ms Diele said.
“I was very upset – I’m a pensioner.”
Ms Diele said she was told to take her receipt back to the grocery store, but staff there said she would be unable to recoup the money without the original note.
“I want to warn people so it doesn’t happen to them,” Ms Diele said.
Brimbank Police Inspector Chris Gilbert said there have been a few examples of fake banknotes circulating in the past six months, mainly before Christmas.
“It’s not a prevalent offence, sometimes people don’t realise they’ve received counterfeit notes and could even pass them on unwittingly,” he said.
Caroline Springs Senior Sergeant Trevor King said counterfeit money did not often surface in the area.
“It is something which happens sporadically and generally shopkeepers and employees at retailers are pretty good at identifying it when they come across it,” he said.
“It happens occasionally and if it does, people should get in contact with us and we’ll commence an investigation.”
