By Rex Mphisa
A counterfeit money alert emanating from the city of Masvingo has gone viral on social media where people have been warned to be on the lookout.
The messages says denominations of R200 fake notes had been intercepted several times in the country’s oldest town.
The alert, seen by Ziyah News Network, says a person had been arrested in the Sisk section of Mucheke suburb in Masvingo.
“Ngatingwarirei mafake notes, avamo muvakomana. PaSisk tabata one atova paChikato coz ithree vanhu ava, saka mumashops and streets etc ngwarai. Vari kufamba namaR200 notes, ane kaline kegreen. So tarisai mari dzamuri kupiwa pliz. Chenjedzo kumunhu wese.Iwe neni tine basa. Message ngaifambe pliz. (Lets be alert fake notes are in circulation. At sisk we apprehended one now at Chikato (Police Station) because there are three suspects so people in the streets and shops must be on the lookout. They are moving around with R200 notes with a small green line.check the notes you receive. This is a warning to everyone, we all have a job to do, spread the message,”) read the message.
It showed it had been circulated several times.
The police spokesman for Masvingo Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa was not readily available to comment.
Fake notes prevalence is notable and an ongoing issue in Zimbabwe, with police frequently issuing warnings about syndicates circulating counterfeit United States dollar notes and South African Rand primarily in high denominations like US$100 and R200 respectively.
The problem primarily involves the US dollar, which is widely used in the country. There have been specific warnings about counterfeit US$100, US$50, and US$20 notes.
Fake note criminals in the southern part of Zimbabwe also circulate the rand .
Their target areas are busy places and even rural areas, informal marketplaces, commuter omnibuses, and at retail businesses and service stations.
Criminals typically buy inexpensive items and receive genuine currency as change, thus distributing the fakes and defrauding businesses and individuals.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has issued recent warnings (late 2024) about active syndicates operating in provinces like Mashonaland West and Matabeleland South.
At Beitbridge fake notes are circulated at the bus stop near Engen Garage and the surrounding areas.
There are some known businesspeople who have been arrested for counterfeit currencies but the issue remains persistent.