Counterfeiters heyday

last updated 8 January 2015

Sofia, Bulgaria

Europe is drowning in counterfeit euro bills, European police said at a conference in Bulgaria this week. The adoption of the single euro currency, in circulation in 12 countries since 2002, has made trade and tourism transactions easier, but has also proved a boon to forgers, who have many more places to spend their fake bills. “They counterfeit dollar and euro bills, credit cards, traveler’s checks,” said Europol Director Juergen Storbeck. “They threaten our whole economic system.” The euro bill was designed with state-of-the-art colored inks, watermarks, and metal strips to resist counterfeiting, but criminals have already mastered the new technology.