Charity shops and traders in a city district are being warned of the possibility of customers trying to use counterfeit notes.
Police in Plungington, Preston, launched an awareness campaign with leaflets handed out to shops and other bisinesses after a spate of incidents earlier this year, in which Lakeside Superbowl and a Spar shop on Plungington Road.
Although only one incident has officially been reported to police in Lea, traders attending a recent PACT (Police and Community Together) meeting for the neighbourhood told officers they had been affected by counterfeit cash being used to pay for goods.
Raising awareness of the issue has been deemed a PACT priority for the area this month and police want to warn traders of the possibility of fake notes in the area.
Sgt Helen Dixon, of Lea Police, said: “ A few months ago the Lakeside Superbowl fell victim to someone using counterfeit notes.
“As a result of that our officers put out leaflets about what to do if traders suspected cash was counterfeit.
“On the back of this the matter has been discussed by residents at PACT and a few traders in the area have said anecdotally they too have had counterfeit notes through.
“We have made it a focus and the team have been out raising awareness.”
It comes after a number of reported incidents in the city centre area.
Police warned in June that a large number of fake notes could be in circulation in Preston city centre.
More than 20 fake £20 notes were handed over in bookmakers and at Preston Market in just two days.
Police said the fake notes seized are of very high quality and only the silver strip gives them away.
In total, 15 fake notes were handed over at the David Pluck bookmarkers in Orchard Street, Preston.
Police said there could potentially be a huge amount of the notes in circulation.
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