Counterfeit euros?

I had a store refuse a 50 euro note while holidaying in Italy on the premise that it was fake. Are there actually fake euros in circulation? Is there an easy way to check the veracity of euro bills to avoid accepting fakes?

Hi there,

Although counterfeiting has become more dificult thanks to technological advances in banknote production, counterfeits do occassionally enter circulation. While Swiss francs are rarely counterfeited, euro counterfeits are not altogether uncommon. The 50 euro banknote is the most commonly counterfeited euro banknote, making up more than 60% of all discovered counterfeit euro notes. The 20 euro note comes in second, while counterfeit rates for the 5, 10, 100, 200 and 500 notes are relatively low.

There are a number of difficult-to-counterfeit objects which you should search for when accepting high-value notes. These include the embossed abbreviations and images on the face of banknotes which you can identify by running your fingers over them, and watermarks which only appear when you hold bills in the light. In the case of the 50 euro note, the face contains a printed number 50 which changes from green to blue when you look at the banknote from the side. Making a habit of checking for these signs of authenticity will help you avoid accepting counterfeit money.

Best regards from Moneyguru

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