What to do if you are given a fake banknote
Reviewed on 1 September 2026 · By the Detectalia technical team
You have been passed a suspect note — at the till, in change, or even from a cash machine. What you do next matters: knowingly putting it back into circulation is a criminal offence, and the correct process is simple and free.
First: do not use it
Receiving a counterfeit note in good faith is no offence at all. Trying to pay with it once you suspect it is fake, is. Set the note aside, handle it as little as possible and, if you remember how it reached you, note down the details — when, where and from whom. They can be useful for the report.
Where to hand it in
Take the suspect note to a police station, or hand it to your bank. Either way you should be given a receipt, and the note is forwarded to the Bank of England for expert analysis — the Bank also provides a form for submitting suspect notes directly. The National Crime Agency and local police use the information to trace where counterfeits enter circulation, so the details you provide genuinely help.
If the analysis concludes the note is genuine, you are reimbursed in full. If it is confirmed as counterfeit, the note is withdrawn and there is no reimbursement — as the Bank of England puts it, counterfeit notes are valueless. That is exactly the loss a fake note detector prevents at the counter.
What if it came from a cash machine?
It is very rare — cash machines are loaded with notes verified by certified machinery — but if it happens, go to your bank as soon as possible with proof of the withdrawal. The bank will start the same analysis process; it pays to complain immediately and in writing, because the sooner you report it, the stronger your case.
For businesses: the real cost of a fake note
For a business, every counterfeit accepted is a double loss: the face value of the note and the goods or services handed over — and no compensation from anyone. If a note checker stops just a couple of fakes, the equipment has paid for itself. Automatic verification at the moment of payment is the only way to make sure you never need the process in this guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get my money back if the note turns out to be fake?
No. If the Bank of England's analysis confirms the note is counterfeit, it is withdrawn without compensation — counterfeit notes are valueless. You are only reimbursed when the note turns out to be genuine.
Am I obliged to hand it in?
Yes. Suspect notes must be taken out of circulation and passed to the police or your bank, which forwards them to the Bank of England. Keeping a note you believe to be fake in order to use it can constitute an offence.
Can I refuse a note I think is fake?
A business can decline a note it doubts at the moment of payment. What it cannot do is accept the note and then put it back into circulation.