High‑Quality Counterfeit Cash Is Hitting Illawarra Small Shops – What It Means for Them

The Australian Border Force says it seized 700 counterfeit notes worth about $6 million in the last financial year – a jump of more than 50 times compared with the previous year.

Local shop owners have responded by buying blue‑light scanners and checking every bill that comes through the till. Ohana Home’s owner, Calvin Gorsuch, installed the system after his business was hit with a fake $50 note in December, and later the scanner helped him spot a counterfeit $100 note. Nearby, Adrian Erdedi also ordered a blue‑light machine and now trains his staff to scan each note.

The new fakes are made of polymer, not paper, and they mimic the colour and UV security features of genuine money. Under blue light the authentic notes reveal invisible marks that the counterfeits often miss, which is why the scanners are effective.

The Reserve Bank of Australia says counterfeit notes have no legal value and that making or using them can lead to up to 14 years in jail. For small businesses already feeling pressure from rising living costs, a single fake note can mean a direct loss that is not reimbursed, so detection tools have become essential.

By training staff and using blue‑light technology, Illawarra retailers are trying to stop the financial hit from high‑quality fakes and keep their customers’ trust.

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