Dubai: A Filipino nanny in Dubai got a surprise when she tried to pay for a taxi with a Dh100 note — and the driver told her it was a fake.
“In the Philippines, there are lots of stories about fake money,” said Crislyn Juala. Two hours earlier, she was handed the note as change by a deliveryman for some face cream she had ordered.
“But I didn’t expect to see fake money in the UAE.”
However, a closer inspection of the note reveals a far more likely explanation. The note, which has a slightly different colour, and lacks a date of issue or hologram stripe seen on newer bills, appears to date back to the 1980s.
So if you have an old note in the UAE that is not accepted by vendors, here’s what to do: You can visit a bank teller and exchange it. Another option is to deposit it along with other notes into your account.
One more option is to contact the UAE’s Central Bank consumer hotline on 800 22823.
Meanwhile, if you suspect that a bank note is fake, you need to contact the police.
Dubai Police told Gulf News that if an individual cannot prove from where they got the fake currency, then he can be prosecuted for possessing a fake note. They also urged public to be careful when exchanging currency. Individuals should only exchange currency in legal places such as banks or exchange offices, the police say.
Surprise find
If you do end up being handed an old banknote, it’s worth checking for similar ones on internet auction sites — some bills have value as collector’s items.
Rarely seen notes like Juala’s Dh100 bill, for example, can be found for sale on eBay from Dh180.
— With additional input from Ali Al Shouk
