Faking It! A History of Counterfeiting in Canada

Counterfeiting is as old as money itself, and tales of the cunning criminals that try to outsmart the system have always enthralled us. This richly illustrated book introduces the reader to the history of the crime and some of the grisly punishments meted out in the past. It explores the arms race between the issuers of money and the counterfeiters, as well as cases of official counterfeiting in wartime. The focus then moves to Canada s experience with bogus bills and coins from the seventeenth century to the present day. While emphasizing that counterfeiting is not a victimless crime, the authors present fascinating case studies and profiles of the criminals and their adversaries. Today, the Bank of Canada and the RCMP are the front line in the fight to maintain confidence in Canada's currency. The changing face of bank note security is examined, culminating with the new polymer notes, and major counterfeiting busts by the RCMP are highlighted. The book wraps up with a look at the new frontier of counterfeiting crime: fraud involving credit and debit cards and electronic payment systems. Faking It! Read this enjoyable introduction to the world of bank note security and the constant struggle to protect the money in your pocket.