Ministry says fake cheques on the rise

The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services has said there has been a rise in counterfeit cheques in recent months.

The ministry is cautioning financial institutions, groceries, supermarkets and revenue offices to exercise caution when processing cheques, specifically senior citizens' pension, disability and public assistance grant cheques.

In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry said the Central Bank will not honour counterfeit cheques.

It strongly urged all vendors to exercise heightened vigilance when accepting cheques for payment.

The release said any fraudulent cheque should be reported to the police.

Additionally, clients are encouraged to sign up for the direct deposit service to ensure prompt and secure payments.