Euro counterfeits in Estonia

Postitatud:

29.01.2024

There were 264 counterfeit euro banknotes discovered in Estonia in 2023, which was 198 fewer than in the previous year. The numbers of counterfeits discovered last year suggest that the level of counterfeiting is low in Estonia and in Europe. Furthermore, there were fewer counterfeits in Estonia than in any other country in the euro area.

The most common counterfeits in Estonia last year were 50-euro notes, of which 93 were found or 35% of all the counterfeits found in Estonia. There were 60 counterfeit 10-euro notes registered, and 39 20-euro notes.

The counterfeits discovered in Estonia were mostly not very sophisticated, and only simple methods had been used to produce the imitation notes. This should remind everyone that anybody can check the authenticity of a banknote and that careful observation is often all that is needed to identify a counterfeit. There are security features that can be used to check the authenticity of banknotes and that can be tested by touching and tilting the banknote. It can also be compared with an authentic note if there is still any doubt. The security features of the banknotes and how to check them is described on the website of the European Central Bank. If it is suspected that a banknote or coin is a counterfeit, it should be passed on to the police who will send it to experts for testing.

 

For more detailed statistics in Estonia see the website of the Estonian Forensic Science Institute.