The Lethbridge Police Service is offering tips to detect counterfeit cash after a man was charged with using fake currency. (Image Credit: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge Police lay counterfeit charges, how you can identify fake bills

Jan 12, 2026 | 1:49 PM

A southern Alberta man is charged with allegedly using counterfeit bills to pay for a phone.

On Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) received a report that a man used illegitimate currency to purchase an iPhone from a Marketplace seller.

After the transaction was completed, the seller tried to deposit nine $100 bills, but they were rejected by the bank machine.

The investigation confirmed that the bills were counterfeit.

LPS says the texture of the paper was similar to real bills, but seven of them had the same serial number, there was no raised ink, and upon removing stickers placed over the transparent windows, “copy” and “prop money” were printed on each one.

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Doorbell camera footage of the suspect and his vehicle was provided to police.

The following day, officers located the suspect’s vehicle, and a traffic stop was initiated on Fairmont Boulevard South.

The driver was confirmed to be the man from the doorbell camera footage and was arrested.

Inside the vehicle, LPS seized the fraudulently-obtained iPhone, six counterfeit $100 bills, and a number of stickers that were used on the fake bills.

Dylan Anthony Macko, 18, of Nobleford, is charged with making counterfeit currency, uttering/using counterfeit currency, possession of counterfeit currency and possession of the proceeds of crime.

Macko has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on January 23.

LPS is asking retailers and individuals conducting personal transactions to always inspect currency before accepting it.

To check if Canadian currency is real, the Bank of Canada recommends using the “feel, loop and flip” method.

FEEL the texture:

• Raised Ink: Run your fingers over the large denomination number and the words “Bank of Canada” on the front; they should feel raised and textured, not smooth like the rest of the polymer.
• Polymer: The note should be a smooth, single piece of polymer with transparent areas, not paper.

LOOK through the window:

• Transparent Window: Hold the bill up to a light to see the clear window.
• Frosted Maple Leaf: Inside the window, look for a frosted maple leaf with a transparent outline.
• Starburst Effect: When held to a bright LED light, the frosted leaf reveals the note’s value (e.g., “$50”) as a starburst pattern.
• Matching Portraits: The metallic portrait in the window should match the large portrait on the front.

FLIP the note:

• Color-Shifting Ink: Tilt the note to see the metallic image (portrait and building) in the window shift colors.
• Mirror Image: On the back, the metallic image should be repeated in the same colors and detail on the other side of the window.

If you are in doubt about the legitimacy of any bill, do not accept it.

Some red flags to look for when checking Canadian currency. (Image Credit: Lethbridge Police Service)