SINGAPORE — A 27-year-old man was last Saturday (July 3) charged with using a counterfeit S$100 note to buy an item in Geylang.

In a statement on Monday, the police said that they received a report last Friday at about 9am that the man had used a counterfeit S$100 “portrait series” note to make a purchase along Geylang Road. 

Portrait series banknotes, first released in 1999, are presently in circulation. 

Officers established the identity of the Singaporean man through follow-up investigations. 

He was arrested within nine or 10 hours of the police report being made.

Authorities also seized six S$10 notes and three S$2 notes, which were believed to be criminal proceeds.

The man has been held on remand for further investigations.

Those convicted of using counterfeit notes may be jailed for up to 20 years and fined.

The police advised the public to be wary of receiving possible counterfeit notes.

They urged anyone who receives a suspected counterfeit note to do the following:

• Call the police immediately on 999

• Note the description of the person or persons who presented the note, including their height, clothing and gender 

• Take note of the vehicle used (if any), including its registration number

• Limit contact with the suspected counterfeit note and keep it in a protective covering — such as an envelope or folded paper — to prevent further tampering, and hand it over to the police 

More information on the security features of genuine Singapore currency is on the website of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.