A 500 hryvnia-note was a favorite of fraudsters in 2017

The National Bank reported that the most falsified was the 500 hryvnia-note, reports “Investor”.The number of counterfeit hryvnia banknotes withdrawn from circulation in Ukraine last year amounted to 0.00036% of the total amount of cash. In one million of real banknotes, there were about 3.6 fakes.

In the countries of the European Union, according to the results of 2017, this figure amounted to about 33 fake euro banknotes.

According to the results of 2017, there’s an increase in the number of fake 500 hryvnia-banknotes. These are mostly banknotes of an old 2006 model. They make up 61% of the total number of seized counterfeits of the national currency.

The National Bank says that counterfeit banknotes of other denominations were also found: 200 UAH (7%); 100 UAH (17%); 50 UAH (13%). Banknotes denominated in UAH 2, UAH 2, UAH 5, UAH 10 and UAH 20 are only 2%.

The vast majority (81%) of counterfeit hryvnia banknotes were made using inkjet and laser printers. Only 19% of fakes are made in a polygraphic way.

Among the counterfeit foreign currencies, the majority is US dollars (78%). The euro (16%) and Russian ruble (6%) are also counterfeited.

People forge foreign banknotes of the following denominations: US $100 (94%), 200, 100 and 50 euros (40%, 21% and 29% respectively), 5,000 and 1,000 Russian rubles (71% and 21% respectively).

Most often counterfeit banknotes were hijacked through cash departments of fast food establishments, supermarkets, underground and more. In 2017, there were also cases of tampering with cash registers through self-service complexes and ATMs with cash withdrawal function.

According to the results of 2017, the National Bank of Ukraine states that the level of counterfeiting of national currency banknotes is relatively low.