» ~The Canadian Champion,T irersows rive senses otten more reliable than -"thle business ffiat technology in spotting bogus bis, says expert oies By ST EPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion Humans come equipped with buiît-in devices - our five senses- to detect con- terfeit money. And using our senses is often more reliable than technology for fmnding phonies. T1hat's what Jodie Sales, an analyst with the Bank of Canada, said the message was at a seminar held Wednesday for Town of Milton staff. "Rely on your hands, rely on your eyes," she said. "The security features of banik notes are reliable'when you have a better understanding qf what they are and how to * use them." Christmna McTavish, a health, safety and tratnmng officer with the Town, said with the mncreasmng number of counterfeit bills being circulated, it's important that staff members know how to spot them. * We thought it (the seminar) was sorie- thing for our front fine staff' who handle money that comes through,- she said. Although detection machines cati be helpful in spotting counterfeit bills. Ms Sales said they can't be solely depcoded on. -Counterfeiters use this machine ton,. she said. explaining they miake f ake money that technology can't detect. Det. Const. Ken Best. of Halton Regional Police's Fraud Bureau, said dur- ing an interview that counterfeit money lis a problem that's increasing evcrywhere including I-laton. "We receive an abondance in I-lton," he said. Each month, Halton Police coîleet the fake bills banks and businesses in Milton, Georgetown and Acton have received. Police get about I(X) couniterfeit bills per month, Det. Const. Best estimated. "It varies, but for the most part, they're 20s.'" These bills are passed along by people who don't know they're ont real, he said. Campbellville*s Mohawk Racetrack is among the places counterfeit money is most commonly passed. Patrons get cash from the automatic bank machines and unsuspectingly pass along fakes or try to use the machines. at which point the couniterfeits are intercepted. Det. Const. Best saîd. Counterieiting aîffects communities at a locail level as ssell as the national econory, he added. For instance, everyone h,îs seen stores where $50 and $ 1(1) bills areo't accepted. In towns ithat caler t0 tourists ss th bou- tiques and gi stores, not accepting the customer's cash - ourists often carry large buils- cao put a dlent in business, Det. Const. Best said. Halton Regional Police's Fraud Bureau arranged the seminar f'or Toswn staff' who deat wîth money at their jobs on a regular "ReIy on your hands, rely on your eyes."1 ...................... JUS!SALES basis. "We're trying to get the idea out that we can't rely on technology (tu, detect counterfeits)," Det. Const. Best said. "Our technology is getting beaten." At the seminar, Ms Sales provided useful tips for spotting counterfeits quickly and Sales pointed out securîty f eatures that can't be replicated. Statistics revealed that last year -36 per cent of counterfejt buils were $ 10 buils, and 36 per cent were 20s, she said. "The I Os and 20s seem to be something to look out for," she said, adding 50 per cent of counterfeiting in Canada takes place in Ontario. For more information about the security features on bank notes and how to spot counterfeits, visit www.bankofcanada.ca. Stephanie Thie.ssen can be reached at j tIessen@kY W MihOnaIar.apo..m Proview Foul 2004 ENTIRE STOCK,'* detection seminarlfor Town staff the necessity for advertising sooner or later finds itself immune to business." Derby Broum Oe vldAg914 No ROAD CLOSURE NOTIFICATION .1 Tuesday, August 10, 2004-7 MATTAMY /1,11,11- Cm, .., Dmyl .1