Fake HK$1000 banknotes cause panic  

香港陷假钞恐慌：商户拒收大钱 市民排队换钞

(ECNS) -- Hong Kong residents are rushing to banks to change their banknotes for smaller ones amid growing concerns over fake HK$1,000 notes, the Wen Wei Po said on Sunday.

Police in Macao said that 22 fake HK$1,000 banknotes were detected at local banks and casinos last Friday. Hong Kong police said that another 10 counterfeit HK$1,000 notes were found at a local bank the same day.

A total of 39 counterfeit notes were discovered between Dec 23 and 28.

Twenty-two of them came from the Bank of China (BOC) and 17 came from the Hong kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).

A resident surnamed Tse who was waiting outside a bank said that many businesses now refused to accept the large bills, so she had to swap them for smaller notes.

Small businesses including restaurants, cafes and shops have stopped accepting any HK$1,000 notes.