With counterfeiting of the new Euro bank notes increasing, the European Central Bank has issued advice to UK security managers such that they might spot fake notes without having to install special detection equipment,

Although the numbers of counterfeits removed from circulation decreased between January to June this year, seizures from illegal print shops have increased. European Union police agency Europol told SMT that 287,000 fake notes were seized in the first half of 2004. The Euro 50 notes are most commonly targeted.

The European Central Bank advises security managers at Bureau de Change outlets and hotels, etc to feel the bank notes, scrutinise them and then tilt them before comparing them with what is known to be a genuine note. The print on forged notes will be raised in parts, which can be detected by a simple scratch of the fingernail.

Furthermore, “incomplete marks printed in the top corner on both sides of the bank notes combine perfectly to form the value”, while the word ‘Euro’ and the note’s value should appear in tiny letters on the security thread.

Source

SMT