In recent years, counterfeit banknotes to the value of several million have been discovered annually. Fresh figures from NFC which Economic Agency received shows that during the first half of this year, just over half a million fake kronor were seized.
According to Michael Johansson at NFC, it is “small gangsters” who are behind most of the counterfeiting of Swedish kronor – rather than the big leagues.
– You don’t need any skills or equipment to make good enough counterfeits, because the public is not used to checking cash today, he says.
NFC: “Must check the notes”
Sweden is one of the countries that uses the least amount of cash. At the same time, the Riksbank and MSB want Swedes to use more cash again – among other things to be resilient in crises.
Can a greater use of cash increase the risk of more counterfeit notes?
– If you make people understand that they have to check the banknotes’ security details, I don’t see an increased risk, you have to check the banknotes, says Michael Johansson, to the Economic Agency.
Fake banknotes are sold on social media
When SVT’s Ekonomibyrån tries to write to some of the accounts that pretend to sell fake notes, it doesn’t take more than a couple of hours before the offer to buy notes arrives.
This despite the risk of prison terms for handling fake money.
– I am not particularly surprised by that, no, fake banknotes have been sold on the internet and darknet for 15 years. But I am surprised that they dare because counterfeiting money is a very serious crime, says Michael Johansson.
Do we want notes in our wallets again? And what are the costs to society of a return to more cash? See the entire week’s Ekonomibyrån “Cash is back” on SVT Play.