“Stay vigilant and check your money”: Church in Cordon, Isabela finds fake P1,000 bill in offering

Cordon, Isabela - Churchgoers are reminded by a church in Isabela to be careful when giving offerings after a fake P1,000 bill in its collection recently discovered to be fake.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, April 21, Sto. Niño De Praga Parish - Cordon, Isabela, shared that the fake bill was unknowingly received at the parish office and was only confirmed during routine bank deposit.  

Upon confirmation, the bill was marked with holes by the bank teller, indicating that it had been verified as counterfeit and was no longer acceptable for circulation. 

The church said it could be no longer identified where the fake bill came from because of the nature of parish collections, where cash offerings are mixed together.  

“This fake bill was recently received at the parish office. We are unaware who gave it, whether it came from collections or donations for weddings and baptisms. Unfortunately, it was only identified as counterfeit upon verification, and the holes were made by the bank teller as part of the process,” the church wrote.  

Following the incident, the parish reminded the public to exercise vigilance in checking money before using it as their offering. 

It also clarified that the purpose of sharing the incident is awareness, as fake money may circulate even in sacred places. 

“We are sharing this to inform and protect our fellow parishioners. Please stay vigilant and check your money carefully before offering or transacting. Kindly share this post to spread awareness. Thank you and God bless,” the church added.