700 counterfeit cash seizures recorded by Australian Border Force as small businesses face fraud surge
Australian Border Force intercepted fake notes worth $6 million last year while local traders report rising incidents of counterfeit bills being presented for payment.
Small business owners across Australia are increasingly encountering customers presenting counterfeit currency. Thirroul shop owner Calvin Gorsuch's staff identified a fake $100 note using a blue-light machine after a customer insisted it was genuine nearby Adelaide, Adrian Erdedi discovered a $100 bill his employee had previously handled and removed from circulation before the transaction occurred. Multiple local businesses in the Illawarra region are now reporting similar encounters involving both $20 and $50 denominations. Over the past financial year, the Australian Border Force detected 700 cases of counterfeit cash entering Australia, securing a value of $6 million worth of fake notes at border crossings. Business owners like Gorsuch have installed blue-light detection systems following previous losses to fraudulent currency in their own transactions.
