The Bank of Portugal (BdP) announced on Monday that it has withdrawn a total of 10,732 counterfeit euro banknotes from circulation in 2022, 1% less than the previous year’s 10,836 and accounting for 2.86% of the Eurosystem’s seizures.
As noted by the banking regulator and regulator, “the number of counterfeits detected is a residue compared to the total number of banknotes in circulation”.
Last year, the 10 euro denomination was the most seized in Portugal, and not the 20 euro denomination, as in previous years: 3,533 counterfeit 10 euro notes and 3,367 counterfeit 20 euro notes were seized, compared to 3,347 respectively and 4,324 in 2021.
Already from 50 euros, 2,220 banknotes were withdrawn (1,672 in 2021), followed by the 100-euro denomination, of which 947 banknotes were seized in 2022, compared to 474 in the previous year.
The 500 euro denomination was the fifth most seized last year (243 banknotes, against 118 in 2021), followed by the five euro note (235 banknotes in 2022 compared to 830 the previous year) and finally the 200 denomination euro (187 species in 2022 and 71 classes in 2021).
Pointing out that “seized counterfeits can be identified using the ‘Touch — Observe — Tilt’ method,” the BdP warns of the importance of checking banknotes by users as they receive them.
“A counterfeit is not reimbursed, which means a loss to the person who receives it,” he warns.
Source: DN
