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uk Money & financial emergencies

What to do if…
cash you received in a sale may be counterfeit

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Keep the suspected cash separate and do not spend, deposit, return, or pass it on. Contact the police on 101 or through the appropriate police online reporting service; call 999 if someone is in immediate danger or the incident is still in progress.

Do not do these things

  • Do not try to recover your loss by using the suspected cash.
  • Do not put it into a bank account, cash machine, or cash deposit machine.
  • Do not give it back to the buyer or hand it to anyone else unless the police or an authorised issuer directs you to do so.
  • Do not confront, chase, threaten, or try to detain the buyer.
  • Do not write on, cut, clean, or otherwise alter the suspected cash.
  • Do not delete the sale listing, messages, buyer profile, or collection details.
  • Do not publicly accuse or identify the buyer while the facts remain uncertain.

What to do now

  1. If the buyer is still nearby and you feel unsafe, move to a safer place and call 999. Do not try to recover the sold item by force or prevent the person from leaving.

  2. Separate the suspected notes or coins from your other money. Handle them as little as reasonably possible and place them in a clean envelope, sleeve, or bag without marking them.

  3. Report the matter to the police promptly. For a non-emergency, call 101 or use the police online reporting route for your part of the UK. Explain that you received the cash in a sale and now suspect it may be counterfeit.

  4. Write down the transaction details while they are fresh, including the date, time, location, item sold, agreed price, amount received, buyer’s profile or contact details, description, vehicle details, witnesses, and direction of travel if known.

  5. Save the original listing, messages, photographs, account details, collection arrangements, and any relevant doorbell or CCTV footage. Keep original files where possible and note the times shown in the footage.

  6. Check official security-feature information only to describe why you are concerned. Use Bank of England guidance for its notes, information from the relevant issuing bank for Scottish or Northern Ireland notes, and Royal Mint information for UK coins. Do not delay reporting while trying to prove the cash is counterfeit.

  7. Follow the police instructions for handing over the suspected cash. Ask for the incident number. If police retain suspected banknotes, ask for the receipt provided under the Bank of England counterfeit-banknote procedure.

  8. After preserving the listing and messages, use the marketplace or selling platform’s reporting process if the sale was arranged online. Avoid further contact with the buyer if it feels unsafe.

What can wait

You do not need to decide now how to replace the money, recover the item, pursue the buyer, change how you sell things, or make an insurance claim. Platform disputes and other recovery options can wait until you are safe, the records are preserved, and the police have given initial instructions.

Important reassurance

An unusual-looking note or coin is not automatically counterfeit. It may be damaged, withdrawn, unfamiliar, or issued by a different authorised bank, and you are not expected to make the final determination yourself.

Scope note

This guide covers only the immediate steps after noticing that cash received in a sale may be counterfeit. Later decisions about recovering property, claiming losses, dealing with a selling platform, or responding to enquiries may require specialist help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Follow instructions from the police, the relevant banknote issuer, your bank, or another authorised organisation examining the suspected currency.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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