A 19-year-old man has been arrested after an allegedly fraudulent Marketplace transaction involving counterfeit bills. Will Alexandre Vixamar is facing charges of fraud involving less than $5,000, putting counterfeit currency into circulation, manufacturing counterfeit currency, breaching a release order and breaching the terms of his probation. “Evidence gathered during the investigation shows that the suspect’s modus operandi was well-established, raising concerns that others may have fallen victim to similar schemes,” Laval police (SPL) states. “Investigators are seeking to get in touch with anyone who was approached by or carried out a transaction with the suspect.” This follows an investigation into an incident on May 30, in which police say a “victim posted an ad on the Marketplace platform offering an iPhone 15 Pro Max for sale.” “A few days later, a person using a Facebook account with the name ‘Selena’ contacted her to negotiate the price,” the SPL notes. “An agreement was reached, and the exchanges continued via text messages.” The two met to complete the transaction, and the suspect allegedly handed over nine $100 notes as payment. “When the victim attempted to deposit the money at the bank, the teller machine rejected the notes, which turned out to be counterfeit,” police said. Vixamar remains in custody following his court appearance, and the case is expected to return to the Court of Quebec on Sept. 25. Real or fake? Laval police says it has received increasing complaints involving dubious bills. This is how you can separate counterfeit banknotes from real money: Serial number: Each banknote must have its own unique serial number. Make sure there are no duplicates. In the case of banknotes reported by Laval residents, some had serial numbers such as GJR6710019 and GJR6710018. Transparent strip: Examine the banknote’s transparent strip. Tiny numbers corresponding to the banknote’s denomination should be visible. Portrait on the transparent strip: The portrait visible on the transparent strip must match the main portrait on the banknote. Small numbers in the maple leaf: Use a bright light to check for small numbers hidden within the transparent maple leaf. Portrait with metallic sheen: Make sure the portrait with metallic sheen changes colour depending on the angle of the light. Ink texture: Run your finger over the main portrait to feel the raised texture of the ink. Laval police stresses that people “are under no obligation to accept a banknote if you have any doubts about its authenticity.” “Do not hesitate to ask for another banknote or to choose an alternative payment method,” the force states. A safe zone is available at Laval police’s investigation centre at 2911 Chomedey Blvd. for Marketplace meet-ups to ensure the safety of both parties.
