In the first half of 2014, a total of 188 counterfeit euro banknotes were detected among banknotes in circulation in Finland. ‘The number of counterfeit banknotes in the first half of the year was less than the average, according to semi-annual statistics covering a three-year period,’ says Tanja Raita, System Specialist, from the Bank of Finland’s Cash Department. In 2013, a total of 427 counterfeits was detected: 226 in the first half of the year and 201 in the second half.
| Period | 1/2011 | 2/2011 | 1/2012 | 2/2012 | 1/2013 | 2/2013 | 1/2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of counterfeits |
406 | 421 | 248 | 372 | 226 | 201 | 188 |
Of the different denominations of banknotes, the EUR 50 was the most frequently discovered counterfeit banknote in Finland (63 counterfeits) in the first half of 2014, followed by EUR 20 (53 counterfeits) and EUR 100 (32 counterfeits).
A number of security features have been incorporated into euro banknotes for recognising genuine banknotes. Banknote authenticity can be checked using the simple FEEL-LOOK-TILT test described in Eurosystem publications. In case of doubt, a suspected banknote should be compared directly with one that is known to be genuine. Instructions and guides for checking banknote authenticity can be found on the Bank of Finland website (www.bof.fi).
In a press release issued today (http://www.ecb.europa.eu) the European Central Bank provides an overview of the counterfeit situation regarding euro banknotes.
For further information on the situation in Finland, please contact:
Tanja Raita, System Specialist, Bank of Finland, tel. + 358 10 831 3448
Jukka Martikainen, Inspector, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), tel. + 358 295 48 6598