Dwayne Bond bid on Rocks
still poses a major headache for the UK economy.
“Gangs are becoming more sophisticated and are operating not just from the UK but from all over the world.
“It’s now much easier to distribute fake goods because of the dark web and encrypted services that protect the identity of the seller.
“And now Instagram is playing a big role in the racket.
“Fraudsters are setting up pages anonymously. They allow them to post pictures and videos showing the credibility of their product.
“Of course, there are scam pages out there but a lot are real and making big money through fake notes.
“As for the notes themselves, they tend to vary in how good a copy they are but most will get in back street bookies. Gamblers tend to be big punters.”
Police fear the notes are now all over the UK, hitting businesses hard and damaging the economy.
Officers in south Worcestershire warned last week that phoney £20 notes were doing the rounds.
A fake £50 was also used in a shop in Shropshire by a visitor, police said.
And a batch of fake plastic fivers was found in south Wales.
The plastic note was brought out in 2016 amid claims it was the safest yet. It has a number of security measures to try to outwit counterfeiters.
But Peter Fowler, 37, claims he was given one as change when he paid for lunch in Port Talbot.
He said: “It felt like a plastic carrier bag – like it was made of thin plastic.
“I looked closer and saw the Big Ben was missing and part of the serial number and the Queen’s face were coming off.
“When I compared it to the genuine note, I saw the strips were green.
“People need to pay attention when they are handed their change.” DWAYNE Johnson will miss out on his dream role in the next James Bond movie. “The Rock” wanted to appear opposite Daniel Craig in his farewell outing playing 007.
Former wrestler Dwayne’s grandad was a 007 henchman in the 1960s.
But movie studio bosses say they “cannot afford” his fee for playing the lead baddie in the movie.
His base salary is around £15million per movie – ten times what makers Eon Productions and MGM are willing to pay. Director Danny Boyle is looking to hire a new henchman to beat up Craig in the film, due out in November next year.
A source connected to MGM films in LA said: “There is no doubt that the world would love to see The Rock and Daniel going at it in the movie. “Dwayne brings all aspects of the iconic Bond villains to his acting – he has got a flare for comedy, is physically menacing and can be dramatic in key moments. “Dwayne wants to do it, but to get him to sign on the dotted line will be too expensive.”
His grandad Peter Maivia, also a wrestler, was in You Only Live Twice in 1967.