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.
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)