Following a recent scare over fake HKD50 notes, a new photo which appears to show a HKD20 note with a wonky security strip has got netizens worried about even more counterfeit cash in circulation.
The photo, posted to a Yuen Long community group on Facebook, shows a note apparently issued by HSBC. While the front appears normal, the silver foil security strip on the back is misaligned.
According to Judy Ho, who posted the photo, the note feels “rough” to the touch and the patches of security foil appear to be stickers. She warned people to look carefully at banknotes when receiving change, as she hadn’t noticed the discrepancies at first.
Last week, the Bank of China put out public notices alerting Hongkongers to the existence of forged HKD50 banknotes.
Screenshot: Apple Daily
News of the dodgy HKD50 bills first surfaced when a picture of two notes with the exact same serial number (CN485659) and issue date (January 1, 2009) went viral.
First we had fake HKD1,000 notes, then HKD500, then HKD50, and now HKD20… what’s next? Fake HKD10 bills? HKD5 coins made out of whittled bottlecaps? When exactly does the production cost actually exceed the value of the falsified funds?
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