Small businesses repeatedly face the risk of receiving counterfeit bills, a problem that intensifies during seasons with greater movement of people, such as the national holiday celebrations, according to Luis Enrique Contreras Ramírez, president of the Canacope Servytur of Mérida.
The business leader points out that counterfeit bills are not limited to the highest denominations, as fake 200- and 100-peso bills have also been detected.
“We try to prevent it by not accepting high-denomination bills, such as 500-peso bills, in order to mitigate losses in this regard,” he told Diario.
Contreras Ramírez indicates that this situation represents one of the problems merchants must deal with on a daily basis and that it becomes more acute in certain supply centers.
According to the president of Canacope, at the Central de Abasto, he has noticed that some businesses have been victims, as they have some of the counterfeit bills they received on display.
In these cases, he considers it important for merchants to remain alert, share information, and turn to the authorities when they detect a suspicious transaction.
There is coordination with police agencies to address these types of situations both in Mérida and in other municipalities, he mentions.
“Through the information and coordination we have with the authorities, it is easy. At any given moment, a business that has a suspicious incident of this type can contact the authorities to clarify the situation,” he stated.
If a merchant suspects that someone intends to pay with counterfeit money, Contreras Ramírez recommends not accepting the cash and, when circumstances allow, requesting assistance from the State or Municipal Police.
The business leader considers that the risk increases during seasons when there is greater circulation of people, such as the national holiday celebrations, when commercial activity also increases.
One of the methods that people using counterfeit money may attempt is to make low-value purchases in order to receive a considerable amount of change, he indicates.
“Suspicious people who come in and want to carry out these types of transactions, buying, I don’t know, 50 pesos’ worth of something to receive 450 pesos in change.”
In response, he insists that merchants should rely on the authorities and remain alert. He emphasizes that technology makes it possible to have tools to track people who may be involved in these practices.
When asked how many counterfeit bills a business receives on average, he says there is no specific number, which is why it is important to always remain alert and, when necessary, seek assistance from the authorities.
Source: yucatan
