[jonnye]

I was on the night hike that Chris organised on Friday night. It was wet. Which meant everything got wet, including my wallet with money in it. I had one HK$500 note and couple of english notes. It seems the ink from the HK note has run - so the note itself is somewhat blotchy and I now have a £10 note with some purple dye in it.

The taxi driver I tried to pay with this 'blotchy' note wasn't too impressed with it last night - understandably so I reckon. I'd taken the precaution of drawing some more money before going out.

Does the ink in banknotes over here run? (It's a bank of China note) I'd have thought it unlikely. In which case, have I got a forged note?

[shri]

Never had the ink run.

Yep, looks like you have a dodgy note.

Can you remember where you got that note from? If it was from a recent ATM withdrawal - I'd be very surprised and I would take it back to the bank where you withdrew it from.

If it was from someone else, I might be inclined to still drop it off with the cops.

Regardless -- DO NOT try to pass it of to someone. You'll end up being hauled down to the police station.

Take a look at this page for some other visual tests you could run.

http://www.info.gov.hk/hkma/eng/counterfeit/index.htm

[HKChigger]

Hmmm good question. My money is still a little wet. I have a hundred with a little bit of black/dark blue dye on it. I had another 100 that I used already and a ten so I haven't had the chance to look. Seems odd that it would run though... I do agree.

[jonnye]

Originally Posted by shri

Never had the ink run.

Yep, looks like you have a dodgy note.

Can you remember where you got that note from? If it was from a recent ATM withdrawal - I'd be very surprised and I would take it back to the bank where you withdrew it from.

It came from a Bank of China ATM in North Point/Quarry Bay area. I'll see about taking it back there when I have some free time (that coincides with the bank being open)

If it was from someone else, I might be inclined to still drop it off with the cops.

Regardless -- DO NOT try to pass it of to someone. You'll end up being hauled down to the police station.

Take a look at this page for some other visual tests you could run.

http://www.info.gov.hk/hkma/eng/counterfeit/index.htm

Will definitely not be trying to pass it off - a visit to the cop shop I could well do without. I've run through the visual tests on that website and the checks I can do without an ultraviolet light all seem ok.

Maybe it's dye that has run from my wallet into the note (it was the first note against the wallet lining) - not that that has happened before either though... Ah well, it's not the end of the world.