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By Elora McCormack

Fake Money

Merritt RCMP urging caution following increased use of fraudulent currency

Mar 14, 2026 | 11:39 AM

MERRITT, B.C. – Merritt RCMP are urging the public and business owners to pay close attention to large bills as they say there has been a rise in fraudulent currency circulating in the community.

Police say reports of fake bank notes have been on the rise in recent weeks at local businesses in Merritt, particularly counterfeit $50 and $100 bills.

According to the Merritt RCMP, the bills are so convincing that customers may not even be aware they are using fake currency in their transactions. They say business owners may also have trouble realizing the bills are counterfeit until they go to deposit the money at the bank.

“I realize that right now some of the media out there is saturated with reports of fake Canadian currency. The amount of fake cash circulating in Merritt these days is high,” says Cst. Blake Chursinoff, Merritt RCMP Spokesperson.

“The Merritt RCMP are trying to highlight the fact that this is impacting our locals here in Merritt and are trying to get the word out to them specifically. Be diligent with the authenticity of your cash, learn some of the common ways to check the validity of your money and report any occurrences of fake cash.”

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This is not the first time in recent memory there have been reports of counterfeit money circulating in the Merritt area. In December, RCMP also encouraged staff at local businesses to inspect all bills before accepting any currency.

The Bank of Canada says there are easy methods to identify fake currency by conducting a thorough check of the bank note’s texture and appearance.