Within a few months of Barbados’ new-look currency banknotes being launched, counterfeit versions are being circulated.
This was confirmed from the Central Bank of Barbados which, in a statement, acknowledged they “removed the first counterfeits of the new series from circulation” in August. That was less than eight weeks after the notes were issued on June 4. Â
Though the bank did not say which denominations were being targeted and where the notes were recovered, it is understood mostly $20 bills were presented and popped up at petrol stations.
The bank said, however, that finding counterfeit notes of a new design within months or even weeks of its introduction was not uncommon. It added that the modernized design along with a number of upgraded and new security features in the new notes were designed to make them more difficult to reproduce convincingly, and easier for people to authenticate. (SP)
