Banco de Portugal (BoP) withdrew 8,923 counterfeit banknotes from circulation in the second half of the year, 1,496 more than in the first half. According to a statement published on its website, however, the central bank pointed out that the number of counterfeit banknotes seized is negligible in relation to the number of banknotes in circulation.
3,279 €20 notes, 3,228 €50 notes, 188 €100 notes, 1,469 €200 notes and 260 €500 notes were seized.
According to the BoP, there was an increase in the number of low-quality counterfeits seized, which can be easily identified using the Feel – Look – Tilt method.
The regulator warned that a counterfeit banknote cannot be exchanged for a genuine banknote and that whoever accepts a counterfeit banknote as if it were a genuine one will not be able to recover its value.
“For this reason, users should check the banknotes when they receive them”.
