A total of 298 counterfeit euro banknotes found in Finland in the first half of 2021

In the first half of 2021, a total of 298 counterfeit euro banknotes were detected among banknotes in circulation in Finland. This represents a drop to around a third of the number of counterfeits in the corresponding period of 2020, when 908 counterfeits were found in circulation.

‘There are very few counterfeit banknotes in circulation in Finland, and it is unlikely that you will get one in your hand,’ says Olli Vehmas, Banknote Specialist at the Bank of Finland. ‘It is, however, good to remember you should always check the security features when handling banknotes,’ Vehmas continues.

Among the banknotes in circulation in Finland in the first half of 2021, the EUR 20 was the most frequently discovered counterfeit note (118 counterfeits), followed by the EUR 10 (89 counterfeits) and EUR 50 (80 counterfeits).

Period (the first or second half of the year)	1/2019	2/2019	1/2020	2/2020	1/2021
Number of counterfeits	426	554	908	588	298

The new series of euro banknotes will help prevent counterfeiting. The banknote security features involve the latest technology, as a result of which banknote counterfeiting is even more difficult than before. The new EUR 100 and EUR 200 banknotes were issued in 2019. The other denominations were issued earlier.

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 Money and payments (suomenpankki.fi).

For further information, please contact:

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

Kristian Meismaa, Detective Sergeant, National Bureau of Investigation, tel. +358 295 486 837