A total of 187 counterfeit euro banknotes found in Finland in the first half of 2022

In the first half of 2022, a total of 187 counterfeit euro banknotes were detected among banknotes in circulation in Finland. The number of counterfeits in circulation has continued to fall, and the current number of counterfeits detected is about one-third lower than in the corresponding period of 2021.

“The number of counterfeit banknotes in circulation in Finland is generally low. The majority of the counterfeits detected in the first half of the year were of a poor quality and lacked any security features,” says Olli Vehmas, Banknote Specialist at the Bank of Finland. “Notes like these are easy to recognise as counterfeits, as long as you remember to check the security features when handling banknotes,” Vehmas continues.

Among the banknotes in circulation in Finland in the first half of 2022, the EUR 20 was the most frequently discovered counterfeit note (91 counterfeits), followed by the EUR 50 (71 counterfeits) and EUR 10 (11 counterfeits).

Identify genuine banknotes by their security features

A number of security features have been incorporated into euro banknotes for authentication purposes. Banknote authenticity can be checked using simple tests, i.e. by feeling the raised print, looking at the banknote against the light and tilting it. When in doubt, a suspect 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 (https://www.suomenpankki.fi/en/ > Money and payments).

The Bank of Finland has published a new online course on banknotes aimed at a general-interest audience and professionals who handle cash. The course helps you to familiarise yourself with the security features of euro banknotes and provides information on how to act in different situations if you receive a counterfeit note. The online course is available in Finnish and Swedish at setelikurssi.suomenpankki.fi.

For further information, please contact:

Olli Vehmas, Banknote Specialist, Bank of Finland, tel. +358 9 183 3410

Jussi Larvanto, Detective Sergeant, National Bureau of Investigation, tel. +358 295 486 954.