Warning as fake £50 notes are presented to Borders shops

The advice for businesses to be on their guard follows reports of a man trying to pass on the dodgy Bank of Scotland notes in Galashiels, Jedburgh and Hawick.

A police spokesperson said: “If you suspect that counterfeit notes of any type have been tendered please call police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

“The Royal Bank of Scotland provides a wide range of advice and materials to assist businesses and the public in checking for counterfeit notes.”

The spokesperson added: “Paper notes can be easily tested using widely available counterfeit detector pens.

“These create a black stain when applied to counterfeit paper notes but no stain when applied to genuine notes.

“Polymer notes (currently £5, £10 and £20) cannot be checked with a pen. Low-cost UV detectors can be used to check polymer notes.

“The Bank of England provides a wide range of advice and materials to assist businesses and the public in checking for counterfeit notes.”

For more information on how to spot fraudulent notes, click here.