Counterfeits drop 15% in 2018

In the second quarter of 2018, as many as 38,504 counterfeit Bank of Russia notes were detected in the Russian banking system, the regulator’s data show.

Traditionally, large-denomination notes are most frequently counterfeited. Last year, as many as 27,763 fake five-thousand notes were detected. There were 9,310 fake one-thousand notes identified — almost twice fewer on a year-on-year basis.

The share of new 200- and 2,000-rouble notes in the total number of counterfeits was negligible.

The largest number of counterfeit banknotes was detected in the Central and North-Western Federal Districts, which collectively account for 71.2% of all fakes.

The number of counterfeit foreign banknotes changed little if at all: 2,579 pieces compared to 2,590 pieces one year earlier.  The US dollar was the clear leader among counterfeit banknotes (2352). Other counterfeit foreign currency notes included the euro (182), the Chinese yuan (42) and the British pound (3).