In our increasingly technological world, cash payments still remain the preferred way many people in Britain purchase goods… And with another possible economic headache looming over us all, many more will ditch the credit & debit cards, store cards, cheque book and opt for good ‘old fashioned’ cash payments instead. However, as we all know, there is nothing trusted when it comes to cash sales! As it is easy to exploit the inexperienced, untrained or unobservant with counterfeit money.

As we’ve already explained to our readers, once you have received counterfeit money you are required by law to hand it in at the nearest bank where it will be destroyed. Despite businesses and shop owners/keepers following the law, their is no compensation for this ‘good deed’, often leaving business/shop owners with NO MONEY and NO GOODS. Which is why the fight against counterfeit money begins at the Till Counter!

Throughout any financial crisis we’re told that ‘cash is king‘ when running a business, that’s why it’s vital to ensure every coin and note going into the till is genuine. Checking cash for frauds can be so simple and efficient with any of our Ultraviolet Lamps to help stop any forged currency being exchanged for your goods – making sure ‘every penny counts‘.

Most local and high street shops have been selling goods at bargain prices to help save their financial future in the run-up to xmas. With money being tight and the cost of fuel, utilities, rates and rent rising, most shops will be just be managing to keep their heads above water. Every penny counts, and as they head to the bank with their daily takings – the last thing they’ll need to hear is that they’ve sold goods on and received fake banknotes in exchange.

Here at Crime Prevention Products we’ve written several articles explaining the dangers of receiving counterfeit money and the fact that once you receive this fake money you are legally bound to hand it into the bank. Even worse news for the shop owners, is that once the ‘fake banknotes’ is handed back, there is no compensation and little chance of receiving the goods back to resell.

Crime Prevention Products wish everyone to have a very prosperous New Year and to help ensure that every penny taken over the counter is legitimate we stock a vast array of Counterfeit Detection products.

Many more of us than normal will be choosing to holiday in our coastal towns over the summer. This will obviously give a welcome boost to local economies. To help cope with the extra influx of holiday makers, businesses will hire inexperienced workers, family members and school friends to help look after their shops, stalls and cafés.

Coastal businesses rely on the summer trade to help them survive through the winter months. In-fact for many of these small businesses every penny counts as this could be the matter of survival or going bust.

So just imagine the humiliation and anger they’ll feel when they take their hard earned cash to the bank only to be told by the teller that they’ve received counterfeit money and it’s worth nothing. That accounted for money will be burnt by the authorities while the business is out of pocket for the goods which they’ve ‘sold’.

There are several devices that can be used to show you which is a fake note and which are real. At Crime Prevention Products we have a number of counterfeit detection products which will ensure that all your money stays in your account.

Please remember, you should never try to use or pass a forged note to someone else, the penalty could be up to 10 years in prison.

With the warm weather still hovering above Britain, most people love nothing better than to make the most of it and head to the seaside. Beach front shopkeepers, market sellers and kiosk owners also love this time of year for the warm weather brings with it throngs of visitors intent on purchasing something as a reminder of their seaside visit. However, sometimes the visitors aren’t of the friendly calibre.

Organised gang syndicates are aware that some traders will have to employ inexperienced seasonal workers to give then a hand at busy times. This may include younger family members or school friends. These ‘seasonal workers‘ may be asked to do numerous tasks including stacking shelves, serving customers and handling cash sales.

Counterfeit money is big business and gang members will exploit any weakness in a shop, bar or market stall to exchange their ‘dodgy‘ money for legitimate goods. Proper training and education is required to help shopkeepers / owners distinguishing counterfeit notes from genuine money, after all these people are the first line of defence against fraud.

To highlight the growing problem of counterfeit goods and money the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), set-up to tackle fraud in the UK, recently uncovered a family-run printing company, which by day was a normal functioning legitimate business, yet by night turned its operation into a lucrative counterfeiting operation where it printed in the region of £17.5 million in fake £20 notes. Plus an estimated 9.3 million Euros (£8m) worth of 50 Euro notes. The four men involved in the operation were sentenced to 24 years between them (source).

Crime Prevention Products know that once you’ve received ‘dodgy’ money it’s your responsibility and it cannot be exchanged for real money at the bank. Therefore detection is a must in the fight against counterfeit money. Crime Prevention Products carry a large stock of counterfeit detection devices which will suit every pocket, so no matter if you’re a multi national chain or a sole trader we have the device for you.

This year make every pound you take to the bank a genuine one!

One of the most devastating ordeals that any shopkeeper, market vendor or kiosk owner has to endeavour is the bank clerk telling them they can’t accept their hard earned cash as it happens to be counterfeit and watch on helplessly at it is confiscated and later destroyed, leaving the vendors with no products and even worse no cash. A report by the Bank of England in 2009 revealed that 566,000 counterfeit notes were in circulation in the UK and of those 95% were found to be twenty pound notes. The report also goes on to say that there are 2.6bn notes in circulation thus making 1 in every 5,000 a fake. At the moment they are “still working on the final statistics for 2010 but the number was coming down quite dramatically” reports Victoria Cleland who is Head of Notes Division. (source)

We at Crime Prevention Products understand that the reports in the continuing fall in counterfeit money is still no comfort to the thousands of business owners that fell foul of thieves simply walking away with goods bought with ‘dodgy’ money. Nowadays, it’s not just organised gangs that can reproduce counterfeit money. With the average household laser printer being able to produce very high quality prints, this now enables everyone the means to reproduce ‘fake money’ – and, if there is a young inexperienced seasonal worker on your market stall or seaside kiosk then this makes it even easier for them to pass on the fake money.

Of course we know that seasonal workers are a must for some companies and therefore we want to give them as much help as possible at catching counterfeit money. We have a range of counterfeit detectors that will show the ‘real’ money from the ‘fake’ – making sure that every penny you take to the bank is yours to keep.

With only a few shopping days left, and what with the recent severe winter weather, it is a high priority for most to access the local shops and markets and get as much shopping in as possible. This is usually a very busy time for some street traders and small shops with waves of shoppers bustling in and out, with money passing hands quickly before the next customer pushes in.

This is all a welcome boost to shop owners, however there is a darker side to this time of year… Counterfeit money is big business and millions of pounds of it is in our streets every day. Organised crime gangs know that shopkeepers and market traders are ideal targets and will be looking to pass on fraudulent money in return for legitimate goods. Remember, once you receive a counterfeit note it is illegal to pass it on to another customer. By Law you have a legal responsibility to take the fraudulent money to the proper authorities and out of circulation.

Here at Crime Prevention Products we have a number of counterfeit devices, that will quickly check and highlight to you that the money you’re receiving is either legal or fraudulent.

In the run up to Christmas people will be busy thinking about how much money they have to spend on presents etc… With finances being somewhat restricted many of us might buy goods at less than half price, thinking you’re getting a bargain.

This year there is a major campaign – warning shoppers against buying counterfeit goods – as they don’t conform to regulated safety standards and, more importantly, the proceeds from the sale of these goods often go towards organised crime gangs.

However, it’s not only counterfeit goods that can be a problem for shoppers. For many of these crime organisations will attempt to flood millions of pounds of counterfeit money on to unsuspecting shops, market stalls and street vendors.

Here at Crime Prevention Products we may not be able to assist in helping you detect which goods are counterfeit and which ones are not, however we can help you detect any counterfeit money that might be trying to find a way in to your till. From Counterfeit Money Pens to Professional Quality Ultraviolet Detection Lamps, we stock a wide variety of Counterfeit Detection Products to help your business beat counterfeit fraud.

Dare I say it, there is less than 100 days till Christmas that’s less than 13.5 weeks of shopping left, not long till people will be bustling through shops and market stalls collecting presents, stocking fillers and nick nacks ahead of the big day itself. As a shop or market stall owner you’ll be hoping that this is a bumper year. We all hope for an never-ending line of shoppers coming into your shop or stopping at your stall and purchasing your goods. But remmember, throughout that hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, as the money is placed in the till – how sure are you that it is legal tender?

Matter of fact that with the introduction of high end laser scanners and printers – counterfeit money has never been so easy to reproduce.

At Crime Prevention Products we understand that once you’ve accepted a counterfeit note it’s your responsibility! What’s more, once it is handed in to the bank, you’ll not receive any cash replacement.
(more…)

Love them or loathe them – ‘The Coalition Government’ have now taken charge of the country and have recently delivered their ‘rescue budget’ to the nation. Admist all the cuts that are going to be taken place in the public and private sector there is now a growing concern that professional counterfeit gangs will be trying to take advantage as everyday workers try to come to terms with the fear of redundancy.

Economic crime and counterfeit fraud don’t just happen to large multi billion pound conglomerates – they often start at ground level targeting shop workers, ice cream sellers and seasonal workers. For these are the easy, possible targets for these gangs to operate within. As always, vigilance has to the key when dealing with money and the public – always be on alert for anything that looks suspicious and always check the money that you are receiving.
(more…)

With the summer season arriving many small businesses such as shops, cafés and kiosks rely on employing temporary workers to help out throughout the busy season. Normally, it is an amicable relationship as the business copes with the extra trade without having to take someone on full time and the worker gets to earn some extra income. However, with all temporary employees it can sometimes create it’s own problems – such as them not being able to spot counterfeit money.

Crime gangs love to operate in the summertime exploiting young workers lack of experience and passing ‘fake’ money over the counter and receiving something for nothing.

This year don’t be taken for a fool check all the money that passes through your shop/kiosk. Train your staff well on how to notice counterfeit money and also what to do when they notice a note id a forgery.

Some of the best anti-fraud money detectors are: