Two people were arrested for allegedly passing numerous counterfeit American bills in downtown Duncan, RCMP say.
Ian Locke, Executive Director of the Downtown Duncan Business Improvement area, said he received at least five reports from businesses where two individuals tried to pass fake $50 bills.
“Thankfully everyone sensed something was wrong and didn’t accept the money,” he said.
The two suspects would walk into a business and try to exchange the American bills for Canadian currency, Locke said. Studio One Hair Professionals was one of those businesses.
“They said they didn’t care about the exchange rate and just wanted the equivalent value in Canadian,” said Jenn Glenn-Giles, an employee at the studio. “We thought that was strange as nobody does that, so we said no and they left.”
When Locke hears of a scam like this he immediately sends out an email to all of his members, warning them to be vigilant. He can’t stress enough the importance of filling out a police report as soon as something like this happens. Locke also said that, if possible, business should install surveillance cameras to prevent all types of crime.
Krister Lofstrand, 46, and Amanda Margeson, 33, both from the Cowichan Valley, have been charged with nine separate counts of uttering counterfeit currency.
The two have been released on court-imposed conditions and are scheduled to next appear in court on Feb. 12.
