Lunar New Year is a few weeks away, and businesses are ramping up for an influx of customers celebrating the festival. With a rise in counterfeit cash circulating around the city, some restaurants are training their staff on how to spot the fake bills.
Kelvin Chung, the owner of Dim Sum King Seafood restaurant in Chinatown, said that two years ago he saw customers coming in with a lot of counterfeit currency.
“One was $100 and $20 and after that, we ordered our staff to take notice about the fake money,” said Chung.
Tonny Louie, the Chairman of the Chinatown BIA said businesses and restaurants he has spoken with have not seen a lot of fake banknotes coming in so far this year, but they expect to see some fraudulent money as the festival approaches.
“You don’t want to go through every customer, looking at their bills, in some ways that’s not very courteous,” said Louie. “But at the same time some of the dollar bills look so real that it takes a little more time to figure out.”
“We have people selling things that’s $1,000, $2,000, $3,000 or more,” said Det. David Coffey with the Toronto Police Service’s Financial Crime Unit. “They get it in cash, and it’s not until afterwards that they realize that the money is counterfeit.”
In all of 2025, Toronto police said approximately $90,000 in counterfeit money was reported to the service. This is from businesses that called TPS after the money was given to them. In the first 35 days of 2026, about $80,000 in counterfeit cash has already been reported to police.
“They come to businesses during rush hour where there’s a line of anxious, impatient people and you get up with your cash, they just hope that the cashier is in such a rush that they’re not looking at it,” said Det. Coffey.
Police add that businesses including variety stores, grocery stores, and people selling things online tend to fall victim to counterfeit funds. Officers advise that the best way to spot a fake banknote is by its quality.
“Slow down, look at the bills, you will determine it,” said Detective Coffey.
“These things happen when you least expect it you know. Be careful and scan through mentally to see if it’s real or not,” said Louie.
Last month, York Regional Police put out a warning to businesses after a 20-year-old man was arrested and charged for allegedly going to multiple businesses in an East Gwillimbury plaza, using fake $100 bills.
Below are tips they released to help consumers spot fake bank notes:
- Each bill will have its own serial number. Be sure to check the serial numbers if given multiple bills.
- Inspect the window on the bill and ensure the tiny numbers in it match the denomination.
- Ensure the portrait in the window matches the main portrait.
- Ensure the image in the window changes colour.
- When running your finger over the main portrait, the ink should feel raised.
- The maple leaf window should house tiny numbers when looked through a small, bright light source.
