The counterfeit money looks quite similar but you can definitely spot a difference.
Gardaí have seized nearly €100,000 in counterfeit currency (see examples below) after searches in Kildare, Laois and Offaly.
The searches were carried out over the past few days after an increase in counterfeit money being posted into Ireland.
In one search, over €94,000 in counterfeit currency was seized in all denominations.
A 20-year-old woman was arrested at the scene but was released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
A second search was carried out in which €5,000 in counterfeit currency was seized.
A 21-year-old man was arrested and was later charged and remanded in custody.
Gardaí have warned that the tendering of counterfeit currency is rising, along with incidents of counterfeit or prop money being posted into Ireland.
A Garda spokesperson said in a statement: “In many cases, business owners are detecting people using counterfeit €50 notes to buy small items.”
In order to check if a Euro note is genuine, cash handlers and member of the public should feel, look, tilt and check the note.
Gardaí issued the following advice:
Feel
- The note is made out of cotton and should feel crisp and firm.
- The ink is raised, so if you run your finger across the note, the ink will feel thicker in parts.
Look
- Check for a security thread which will also state the numeral value of the note.
- Hold the note against the light to see the watermark and the numeral value.
Tilt
- When you tilt the note, you will see a hologram which will also show the value of the note.
- On the back of the note, the colour of the numeral value will change from purple to olive green to brown on the €50, €100, €200 or €500 notes.
Check
- Check the note under a UV light, whereby small fibres embedded in the paper will illuminate.
- Each note should have the signature of the President of the European Central Bank.
- The value of the note appears in the watermark, the security thread, and in the hologram.
Gardaí have said that the public, and in particular business owners and their staff, should be on the lookout for counterfeit notes of all denominations.
If you are presented with a counterfeit note, you should retain it and contact Gardaí.
You can see the differences between a real note and a fake note below.
Images via An Garda Síochána
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