SINGAPORE - A 25-year-old man was arrested on Monday (Feb 18) for allegedly using a fake $50 note to pay for a Grab ride.

The police said in a statement on Tuesday that a private-hire car driver had reported at about 10pm on Feb 12 that she received the fake note as payment.

The Grab driver told Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min Daily News on Feb 11 that she had picked the passenger up in Yishun Avenue 11 on Feb 9.

When they arrived at their destination in Marsiling Rise, the passenger claimed he had no money for the fare and asked a friend for help.

According to a screenshot provided by the driver, the fare was $15, including a $4 surcharge.

About seven minutes later, a man appeared and gave the driver a $50 note.

The 47-year-old driver, who gave her name as Ms Huang, noticed that there were no security features on the note and rejected it.

She returned the fake note to the passenger and lodged a police report.

Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and Woodlands Police Division arrested the suspect in Marsiling Rise at about 2pm on Monday.

The man was found with fake $100 notes in his possession. Police seized the fake $100 notes, a colour printer and a mobile phone for investigations.

The suspect will be charged on Wednesday.

If convicted of counterfeiting currency notes, he may be jailed for up to 20 years and fined.

Anyone found guilty of trying to pass off fake currency notes as genuine ones may also face a jail term of up to 20 years and fined. Those convicted of possessing fake currency notes may be jailed for up to 15 years and fined.

In the statement, the police reminded the public to adopt the following measures if they suspect that they have received a fake currency note:

- Report the incident at the nearest neighbourhood police centre.

- If the suspect is around, delay him or her and call the police immediately.

- Take note of the suspect's details, including the gender, race, age, height, build, clothing, tattoos (if any), and language or dialect spoken, as well as those of any companion.

- Note the vehicle registration number of the suspect, if any.

- Limit the handling of the suspected note and place it in a protective covering, such as an envelope, to prevent further tampering. Hand it over to the police immediately.

Information on the security features of genuine Singapore currency is available on the Monetary Authority of Singapore's website.