CROOKS ARE TAKING their chances at trying to counterfeit the country’s bank notes.
And the Central Bank of Barbados is now urging Barbadians to familiarise themselves with the security features on all notes, after a number of counterfeit Barbados $20 notes were found in circulation this week.
The fake notes appear slightly smaller than the real ones issued through the Central Bank, and facets of the artwork also appear different to the naked eye.
A commercial bank source told the WEEKEND NATION yesterday that some customers in corporate Barbados had drawn the fake notes to their attention this week.
“There has been a significant reduction in the level of counterfeiting since the introduction of the new series in 2013, but there will always be attempts by counterfeiters to take advantage of unsuspecting members of the public,” Alvon Moore, the Central Bank’s senior operations officer in the currency department said in a release issued yesterday.
Learn how to spot counterfeit Barbados currency.
“Counterfeiters count on people not taking the time to check the money they receive, which is why the Central Bank has always urged Barbadians not only to become familiar with the security features of our banknotes, but to check the money they receive as soon as they receive it,” Moore added.
“The counterfeits that we see do not contain genuine security features and are easy to spot when people take a few seconds to check. So we once again encourage the public to learn the security features of our notes and to always check their money,” the bank official concluded.
The latest series of Barbados currency was issued in 2013, and before that, in 2007. Both carried improvements in security which made it more difficult to attempt counterfeiting.
When contacted yesterday, police public relations officer, Acting Assistant Superintendent David Welch said they were investigating the matter.
“It has come to our attention. We have encountered a few reports and we are working on it in conjunction with the Central Bank,” he said. (BA)