Police have warned online sellers to be wary of counterfeit cash after a boy tried to pay for a phone using fake bank notes.

Thames Valley Police's local Ascot, Windsor and Maidenhead neighbourhood team received a report regarding counterfeit cash.

It comes after a young boy attempted to buy a phone from a seller who advertised the item on Facebook Market Place.

The seller checked the notes that the boy used to pay for the phone with a UV light and the cash showed up as fake.

The seller told informed the youngster of this and he apologised and left.

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Police then received a call from the seller who gave them a description of the boy and explained that he was getting the bus home.

Bracknell News:

Thames Valley Police said they "immediately found a youth matching the description given at a bus stop" and that "e was very compliant and honest."

The boy said that he had been told the notes were fake and added that the notes were given to him, when he sold a mobile phone recently. 

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He did notice the ink on them didn't look very real, but the seller assured him they were genuine and they seemed ok to him so he took them.

Police said: "He then learned from the aggrieved that they were fake, but he wasn't surprised by this, as he had had his own suspicions, but wasn’t sure.

"The youth was very apologetic and was happy to surrender the notes to Police and wanted to apologise to the aggrieved for the whole thing."

No further action was taken with the boy.

However, a warning has been issued to residents regarding fake notes circulating across the Berkshire areas.

Sellers are asked to check banknotes carefully by using a UV pen or light with the correct frequency.