Xiamen Coffee Shop Staff Receive Two Identical CF Counterfeit Bills

It’s a nightmare scenario for any cafe worker: you take what looks like a legitimate 100-yuan note for a simple drink purchase, only to realize minutes later it’s a counterfeit—and then it happens again, with an identical fake. That’s exactly what occurred last week at a small coffee shop in Xiamen’s Shentian Road area, where staff received not one but two fake 100-yuan bills in under ten minutes, both bearing the prefix ‘CF’ and sharing the same serial number.

The short answer? One customer used two identical fake 100-yuan bills (both prefixed ‘CF’) within ten minutes at the same Xiamen café. Both were flagged by alert staff, who noticed the suspicious notes during routine handling and called police—leading to the suspect’s arrest.

What Happened at the Xiamen Coffee Shop

At around 11 a.m. on the day of the incident, a woman entered a coffee shop located on Shentian Road. She ordered a drink costing 28 yuan and paid with a 100-yuan note. The barista, sensing something off about the bill, asked her to change it. The woman complied—but then handed over another 100-yuan note. The barista gave her 72 yuan in change.

Later, while organizing the cash drawer, the barista closely examined the bill and discovered it was counterfeit. The note had a serial number beginning with ‘CF’, and shockingly, it matched the prefix—and number—of another fake 100-yuan bill the same shop had received just ten minutes earlier.

How the Staff Responded

Realizing both fake bills had the same ‘CF’ prefix and identical serial numbers, the staff immediately confronted the woman and detained her on-site. They called the police, and officers from Kaiyuan Police Station arrived quickly. The suspect, a woman named Zhou, was taken into custody for further questioning.

Store employees speculated that the woman might have had an accomplice, or that she was testing the cafe’s vigilance before repeating the scam. During discussions with colleagues, the staff also learned that a nearby bakery had been targeted just the day before—with five fake bills passed in a single visit.

The Legal Consequences of Using Fake Currency

Under Chinese law, knowingly holding or using counterfeit currency—when the act does not rise to the level of a criminal offense—can still result in serious penalties. Offenders may face up to 15 days of administrative detention and fines of up to 10,000 yuan.

In this case, authorities are actively investigating the suspect, Zhou, for deliberately passing fake 100-yuan bills. The two counterfeit notes recovered both began with the prefix ‘CF’ and had matching serial numbers, underscoring the likelihood of a premeditated attempt to defraud the business.

Frequently Asked Questions

What denominations were the fake bills in the Xiamen coffee shop case?

The fake bills were both 100-yuan notes. Both had the prefix ‘CF’ and shared the same serial number, making them easily identifiable as matching counterfeits.

How quickly did the coffee shop staff realize the bills were fake?

The staff did not detect the fake bills immediately during the transactions. The first was questioned due to a gut feeling, but the second was accepted after a switch. The fake status was only confirmed later, when the bills were closely examined in the cash drawer.

What did the staff do after discovering the fake bills?

Once the fake bills were identified, the staff detained the customer on-site and immediately contacted the police. Officers from Kaiyuan Police Station responded quickly and arrested the suspect, a woman named Zhou.

Are there laws against using fake currency in China?

Yes. Under Chinese law, knowingly using or holding counterfeit currency can lead to administrative penalties—even if it doesn’t result in a criminal conviction. Offenders may be detained for up to 15 days and fined up to 10,000 yuan.

Had other businesses in the area been targeted with fake bills recently?

Yes. Staff at the coffee shop learned that a nearby bakery had been passed five fake bills just one day before the coffee shop incident.