WEST FIFERS have been urged to look out for fake £20 bank notes after they were found in circulation in Glenrothes.

Glenrothes Community Sergeant Kenny Greig said, "I would ask the public to be particularly vigilant when taking monies. These fraudsters target premises and often put on the persona of being a genuine customer.

"Often low-value goods are purchased with fake money with the intention of gaining real money back - but also depriving the retailer of the goods. There are a number of simple steps that can be taken to avoid being the victim of such crime.

"If you discover a possible fake note check the following: " Feel - Most notes are embossed, usually the writing or the logo. The note should feel crisp, not limp, waxy or shiny. Security paper and special printing processes give banknotes a unique feel "Look - Print lines should be sharp and well defined with no blurred edges. The colours should be clear and distinct with no hazy fringes "Tilt - Check for the watermark image and security thread. The watermark should be hardly apparent until the note is held against a bright light source. Check for hologram features on some of the notes "UV light - Under ultraviolet (UV) light, barcodes are visible.

"Compare - Compare both sides of the notes to one you know is genuine.

"Detector pen - Don't rely totally on the pen - use it as a guide. Be careful not to use the pen on ordinary paper as this will lower its effectiveness and may lead to a genuine note being marked as fake.

"For all bank notes, do not rely on just one feature to assess whether a note is genuine, check a few. If in doubt, refer the item to your local financial institution "Police Scotland is working with other agencies in a bid to protect businesses in the area including Fife Trading Standards, Neighbourhood Watch and Business Watch.

"Any retailer or member of public looking for further advice please contact their local community officer."