The Fight Against Counterfeiting and Statistics on Counterfeits

The fight against counterfeiting

The fight against counterfeit money is a Europe-wide concern, and is the responsibility of various international and national bodies. The national banknote and coin analysis centres established in each EU Member State and the ECB’s Counterfeit Analysis Centre closely monitor seized counterfeit banknotes and coins.

The information obtained is stored in a common database, and is shared with the competent national authorities and other bodies involved in the fight against counterfeit money. The ECB also works closely with Europol, Interpol and the European Commission. 

Euro banknotes are protected against counterfeiting by security features produced with the latest technology. You can learn more about this on Banka Slovenije’s online course.

Authenticity checks and counterfeits

Each year Slovenia too sees examples of counterfeit cash, where the potential victims are mainly individuals who take cash without examining it in detail, or who are not familiar with the basic features and properties of genuine banknotes and coins.

No special equipment is required to check the authenticity of banknotes and their security features: it can be done using the simple FEEL-LOOK-TILT method described on the ECB website. The authenticity of coins can be checked using the simple FEEL-LOOK method. The two methods and other approaches are featured in Banka Slovenije’s online course.

It is a criminal offence to pass on a banknote or coin that you suspect to be counterfeit, as the manufacture, distribution and restoration of counterfeit banknotes and coins is a criminal offence.

What should I do if I suspect a banknote or coin to be counterfeit?

If you suspect a banknote or coin to be counterfeit, you should examine its security features in detail using the FEEL-LOOK-TILT or FEEL-LOOK method. Where possible, you should also check the additional security features (extra equipment is required to check these). Compare the banknote or coin with a genuine example, and look for differences, not similarities. If after a thorough examination you still have doubts as to the authenticity of the banknote or coin, do not accept it, but instead call the police (by phoning 113).

What should I do if I have been given a counterfeit banknote or coin and failed to notice immediately?

If you have already accepted a banknote or coin that you suspect to be counterfeit, call the police immediately (by phoning 113). Try to remember where, when and from whom you received the banknote or coin. This information is often very helpful in tracking down counterfeiters and those who distribute counterfeits.

Counterfeit and suspect banknotes and coins should be handed over to the police. If the banknote or coin later proves to be genuine, you will get your money back. 

Statistics on counterfeits

Counterfeit banknotes in 2025 (Eurosystem) 

Some 444,000 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn from circulation in 2025, which represents one of the lowest levels ever recorded in proportion to the total banknotes in circulation and a 20% decrease compared with 2024. Only 14 counterfeits were seized per million genuine euro banknotes in circulation, which is, with the exception of the pandemic years 2021 and 2022, the lowest number since the introduction of the euro. The likelihood of receiving a counterfeit euro banknote remains low, meaning that euro banknotes continue to be a safe and trustworthy means of payment.

The €20 and €50 denominations remained the most counterfeited banknotes, jointly accounting around 80% of all counterfeits seized from circulation.

Table 1: Distribution of counterfeit euro banknotes by denomination at Eurosystem level in 2025 

96.8 % of the counterfeits were found in euro area countries, while 2.2 % were found in non-euro area EU Member States and 1.0 % in other parts of the world.

Counterfeit cash in 2025 (Slovenia) 

In 2025, 1,672 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn from circulation in Slovenia, which represents an increase of approximately 42% compared with 2024. Despite this rise, the number of counterfeits seized in circulation in Slovenia remains relatively low, as one counterfeit appears on average for every 360,000 net-issued banknotes.

In 2025, the number of seized €50 and €100 counterfeit banknotes increased, while the number of seized €200 counterfeit banknotes declined by nearly half. The total value of counterfeit euro banknotes withdrawn from circulation in Slovenia last year amounted to EUR 140,935, an increase of approximately 28% compared with 2024.

Table 2: Distribution of counterfeit euro banknotes by denomination in Slovenia in 2025 

In 2025, 4,859 counterfeit euro coins were withdrawn from circulation in Slovenia, representing a 27 % decrease compared to the year 2024. The €2 coin remained the most frequently counterfeited euro coin.

Table 3: Distribution of counterfeit euro coins by denomination in Slovenia in 2025

Considering the number of net genuine euro banknotes and coins issued, the proportion of counterfeits between cash in circulation is very small.