A 19 year old man was arrested on Christmas day after allegedly using fake money at numerous businesses in and around Whitecourt. In the fall, RCMP started an investigation after receiving reports of the transactions in the area.
Police found Faron Loy Valan on December 25th and arrested him on outstanding warrants. He is facing five counterfeit money charges and has appeared in court. Valan has been released but will appear in court again on January 24th, 2017.
RCMP reported that they were hearing of an increase in fake money being used in November 2016 in the Whitecourt area, especially $100 bills. Officers say to watch out for scotch tape, which could be a warning that their bills are bogus.