Sin City nightclub boss Tim Martin warns Surfers Paradise bars about counterfeit $50s on the Gold Coast

A GOLD Coast nightclub boss has vowed to track down a counterfeit money user who scammed his bar with fake $50 notes..

Forged $50 Fifty Australian Dollar notes used in Adelaide last month — now a batch of fake $50 have popped up on the Gold Coast after a Surfers Paradise bar discovered them during cash up. Picture: Greg Higgs

A GOLD Coast nightclub boss has vowed to track down a counterfeit money user who scammed his bar with fake $50 notes.

Sin City general manager Tim Martin is also alerting fellow operators to a batch of fake $50 notes doing the rounds after his venue was stung twice within three nights last week.

Bar staff didn’t spot the fakes at the time they were used to buy drinks and only noticed during cash-up the next day.

Sin City general manager Tim Martin has put the user of counterfeit $50 notes on notice: “We are going to actively pursue this and we will find you. There are cameras in the bar.” Picture: Richard Gosling

Two fake $50 went through the till on Monday night and a further three — which Mr Martin said were obviously from the same batch — got through on Wednesday night.

“I just want to put them on notice, whoever it is, that we are going to actively pursue this and we will find you.

“There are cameras in the bar and I will try and ID them by going through our footage,” a fuming Mr Martin said.

“They were very good fakes and it does happen every now and then. I’m concerned these are getting around the Coast. They are definitely from the same batch.

“They are some of the best fakes I have seen for sure.

“Half the time you don’t notice until they get rejected at the bank.”

Mr Martin warned fellow operators and business owners to be on the lookout for fake $50 notes which, in his experience, were the most popular for counterfeiters.

Fake $20 notes weren’t considered worth the effort because of the lack of change given in return while fake $100 were too suspicious because of the lack of them in circulation generally, he said.

Back in July last year, Jesse Tawhi, a bartender at Bedroom in Surfers Paradise, noticed a patron was using fake $100 notes to buy drinks — here she holds some of the counterfeit notes. Picture Glenn Hampson

Back in July, staff at the neighbouring Bedroom bar in Surfers Paradise — which Mr Martin also manages — spotted fake $100 notes being used.

Alert waitress Jesse Tawhi (pictured) discovered the fakes after becoming suspicious when the user repeatedly bought single drinks with $100 notes.

In that instance, security called police who arrested a 23-year-old Molendinar man who was charged with using counterfeit cash.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman confirmed they had received a complaint from a Surfers Paradise nightclub in relation to counterfeit cash used at the business in the past week.

“Those involved in the production and use of counterfeit currency usually produce $50 and $100 notes and purchase low-priced items to receive genuine cash as change,” the police spokesman said.

Businesses should check for security features including a coat of arms watermark, the red and green diamond-shaped pattern lining up correctly, the clear plastic window is part of the note and not stuck on, and the Southern Cross stars look genuine and do not scratch off with moderate rubbing, police said.

Anyone with information is urged to phone Policelink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.