 Staff and Students cheated as forged money circulates the university.
KINGSTON students are being advised to check their money carefully after a forged £20 note was discovered in the SU shop during Fresher’s week. At first glance, the fake looked exactly the same as a real £20 note, complete with full silver lining and embossed lettering. But retail manager Claire Ritchie spotted it when cashing up, and said: “due to my experience with cash handling, I identified the different feel of the paper straightaway.” Ms Ritchie immediately alerted SU marketing staff in the Sports and Societies tent to be cautious when taking in £20 notes. Staff were shocked by the uncanny resemblance between the forged note and the real thing. Many said they would not be able to tell the difference. Ms Ritchie had several tips on how to spot a forgery, for example the way they rip, and the colour that they show when marked with a money tester pen. Dennis Black, a second year student working on the sports union membership desk, spoke of how he was “immediately suspicious” when approached by a girl asking if he had seen any fake £20 notes. The problem of forgeries appears to be widespread. A recent incident with forged £50 notes caused the Kingston branch of Sainsburys to increase the number of money
tester pens available to staff at the checkout. REAL | FAKE | When torn, it rips straight downwards, following the silver ribbon through the note | When torn, it rips more erratically, in a jagged line. | When marked with the money tester pen, the note stays clear. | When marked with the money tester pen, the note turns yellow |
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