Statement to the Public regarding the Counterfeiting of Banknotes

In the light of recent complaints and publications by some citizens regarding a modality of banknote counterfeiting, Banco de la República informs that:

1. Colombian banknotes meet high quality and security standards, which is why counterfeiters have not been able to reproduce the security features.
2. As for the counterfeiting technique recently disseminated, the Industrial Technical Department of Banco de la República identified that counterfeiters remove authentic security features from original banknotes and stick them on counterfeit banknotes, confirming that the feature itself has not been reproduced.
3. This form of deception had already taken place in the past with banknotes of different denominations, yet few cases have been reported. 
4. Banknote security is supported by several easy-to-verify features that allow to confirm their authenticity, including: security thread, watermark, matching images, and color-shifting images with motion effect.
5. We invite the public to verify the authenticity of banknotes by reviewing the security features. All the information on this matter can be found at Banco de la República’s website https://www.banrep.gov.co/es/billetes-y-monedas/billetes.You can also consult the explanatory videos posted on the institutional YouTube channel.