Legal Q&A: Don't lose out to fake cash and ID

Counterfeiting is a serious issue and falling foul of the law could not only lose you money, but land you in the middle of enforcement action, in-cluding criminal proceedings. En-suring your staff know how to spot and deal with forgeries is part of good management. Here are some tips to help you along the way:

Counterfeit currency

• Forged bank notes can be hard to spot but there are key features on genuine notes. These include watermarks, micro lettering, metallic threads and holograms. You can also use an ultraviolet light, under which certain features of the note are visible. Get a ‘feel’ for the note — quite simply, does the paper quality and raised print feel right?
• You should check several features of the note to satisfy yourself it is genuine; don’t just rely on one.
• Counterfeit notes should be re-tained and the incident reported to the police, who may wish to issue a warning to other local businesses or pursue a criminal investigation, in which the note may be used in evidence.
• The Bank of England has produced detailed guidance on how to spot features of a genuine note and how you should deal with forgeries — see the Banknotes section on www.bankofengland.co.uk​

Counterfeit identification

• Counterfeit identification may be a complete forgery, genuine ID that has been falsely obtained or altered (eg, changing a date of birth or the photo) or ID that may be genuine but does not belong to the person who is using it.
• Train your staff to be vigilant to imposters and look-a-likes, eg, a person trying to use their older sibling’s ID. Staff should look for individual or distinguishing features to correctly identify the person. If in doubt, you could ask whether the person can produce additional documentation showing the same name.
• Look carefully at the quality of the ID. There may be obvious signs of tampering, such as spelling mistakes, smudges or a badly stuck-on photo. Consider the print quality. Many forms of ID have deliberately complex patterns that make copying difficult. If you have been given a passport with different-sized pages or pages not in alignment, it may be counterfeit.
• If you have the facilities, check the ultraviolet features, watermarks and security fibres. For example, almost all passports have watermarks that, when held up to light, have subtle variations in light and dark areas — counterfeits by comparison may print the watermark on the surface of the paper.
• Always calculate the age of the person from their date of birth.
• The Home Office has produced guidance on how to spot forged ID and how to deal with it, including your legal obligations. Search for False ID Guidance on www.gov.uk.​

You should have policies and procedures on what your staff should do when presented with a counterfeit note or ID. In accordance with the law and your age verification policy, ensure all sales of alcohol are only made to people aged 18 and over and who, when challenged, can provide satisfactory and genuine proof of their age.