A LOCAL restaurateur has warned traders to look out for counterfeit money after a fake $50 note was used to buy food.

Turban Restaurant owner Tilak Wijemanne says a woman came into his Stock Road place in Melville and ordered a $5 dessert, paying with the note.

After she’d left the manager noticed the colour was off so staff ran outside after her.

“We only got part of the rego, but we notified the police and gave them the fake $50 note,” Mr Wijemanne told the Herald.

“You can clearly see the colour of the note is different; the stars in the bottom hand corner are different and the hologram wasn’t there.

“But on the whole the manager thought, whoever did it, did a very good job.

“We also just want to warn the general public as well, because we don’t want it happening to them.”

He’d heard on the grapevine the Caltex Service station next door had also been stung.

Supervisor Faifal Morn confirmed three fake fifties had passed over the counter in the past few months.

His senses were alerted by a note appearing to be a little smaller.

“The stars were not the same as well, so I put it through the note reader,” he said.

“The original $50 has that transparent bit in it. I’ve put out a note to all staff to check the money and put it through the note reader.”

Police media’s Susan Usher says the Turban woman is yet to be apprehended. CCTV vision and the note have been handed over to federal police. Passing counterfeit currency carries a 14-year sentence.

by BRENDAN FOSTER