New staff of a fabric-dyeing plant in Shunde, Guangdong Province joyously received their very first salary. But their excitement vanished when the fresh cash they got turned out to be counterfeit, reported the Guangzhou Daily Thursday.

A worker shows forged 100 yuan and 50 yuan notes he received from a fabric-dyeing plant where he works in this undated photo. [File]

A newly enrolled worker surnamed Hu learnt the truth when he tried to pay for some goods with one of his new bills in a convenience store. Hu darted out of the store to tell his fellow workers and found 20 other of the new comers experienced the same ordeal.

"The fifteen 100 yuan notes the plant gave me are all fake," said a worker preferred to remain anonymous fearing he would be fired.

According to the report, many workers were laid off after they questioned their superiors about the fake notes and refused to back to work until the counterfeit issue was resolved.

"It's not the first time newly-enrolled workers are paid with fake notes, and the plant dismissed a number of them who demanded a settlement," said a company insider who identified himself with the surname He.

The boss of the plant refused to make any comments, but one of his assistants told the reporter the forged notes came from a local bank and negotiations with the bank are under way.

Local police have carried out an investigation after workers complained to them and now the accountants of the plant are under scrutiny.