Provincial police in Siem Reap are looking into allegations that two men working at the Angkor Wat temple complex scammed a tourist after he partook in an incense-lighting ritual and received fake cash as change when trying to make a donation.

Siem Reap police official Hout Southy said a British tourist angrily posted about the incident on social media after he allegedly tried to donate $10 at a Buddhist shrine.

He only had a $20, so he asked for change, but later discovered that he’d been given a fake greenback.

“He didn’t really look at the change, and afterward he tried to use the money to buy water but was informed that his money was fake, since it had the word ‘copy’ [written across it],” he said.

On Tuesday morning, the police brought in two suspects – a tour guide and a restoration worker – for questioning after witnessing them light incense with tourists.

One tried to escape at the sight of police but was caught shortly afterwards.

They both denied the allegations and police made them sign an agreement that they would not practise any such shady business in the future.

Southy added that such schemes needed to be stamped out to salvage the reputations of Angkor Wat and Cambodia as a whole.

“We cannot let these things happen again, so we have to investigate the case to make sure no more tourists suffer the same feeling as the British tourist,” he said.