Gardaí in Clare have issued a warning to business owners and shoppers following the discovery of fake €50 notes in the county.
Crime Prevention Officer for Clare, Sergeant Catriona Holohan confirmed, over the last two weeks, Gardaí have received reports of counterfeit money, specifically €50 notes being tendered in retail premises.
Sgt Holohan has offered the following advice:
So how do we check if notes are genuine?
Feel:
The paper is crisp and firm.
The paper will have raised ink areas on the front of the note.
Look:
Hold the note up to a light and look for watermarks (see-through areas of the note) including:
Architectural design similar to the main design of the note.
A number watermark underneath.
Europa portrait
Security thread down the center of the note with perforations of denomination.
Perforations in the holographic foil showing the denomination, euro symbol and Europa portrait
Tilt:
The holographic stripe or patch will change images and colors.
The emerald number in the bottom left corner on the banknote’s front side displays an effect of the light that moves up and down. The number also changes colour from emerald green to deep blue
Sterling
Tips
Compare – Compare both sides of the notes to one you know is genuine.
Detector pen – Don’t rely entirely on the pen, use it as a guide. Be careful not to use the pen on ordinary paper as this will lower its effectiveness and may lead to a genuine note being marked as fake.
Check – you can see a security thread embedded in the genuine note. If you hold the banknote against a bright light source you can see the watermark and the security thread on the note. The watermark is visible from the front and back of the note. The watermark comprises the main architectural motif and the value numeral of the note.
For all bank notes, do not rely on just one feature to assess whether a note is genuine, check a few.
What to do if you suspect you have a counterfeit banknote?
If you believe you are in possession of a suspect counterfeit note you are obliged to submit it to your local financial institution, the Gardaí, or the Central Bank’s National Analysis Centre (NAC).