Cops warn against stained banknote usage
“People who have these notes make themselves suspects of a criminal investigation that will seek to determine if they were involved in the stealing and unauthorised access of these ATM containers."
Police have warned members of the public against using dye-stained banknotes.
“Never accept stained banknotes as they have likely been discoloured from ink dye used in security devices such as ATMs,” the police said in a statement.
ATMs hold cash in special containers which protects the cash with dye-stain technology that is activated when an attempt is made to break the container open.
“Once activated, the cash is stained with a green dye thus defacing the notes and rendering them unusable as currency,” the statement continued.
The statement further said that the stained banknotes were recognised as having no monetary value.
“People who have these notes make themselves suspects of a criminal investigation that will seek to determine if they were involved in the stealing and unauthorised access of these ATM containers,” the statement said.
Last year, the SA Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) also warned against the usage of such banknotes following the riots in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
During the unrest, hundreds of ATMs were destroyed and the ability of bank customers to access cash and other financial services were subsequently hampered.
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CEO Nischal Mewalall warned people against accepting such banknotes as legal tender as their onward value would not be honoured.
“You may also find yourself out of pocket after releasing goods or performing services because you will not be able to utilise the currency you were paid with.
“In addition, you may also run the risk of being investigated, arrested and prosecuted for the destruction of these ATMs,” he said.
Members of the public could report anyone who was in possession of such banknotes to the police’s Crime Stop number on 08600 10111.
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