Foreign Office issues new warning to UK tourists over counterfeit banknotes in Turkey
Join Simon Calder's Free Travel Email For Tips!
Subscribe To Simon Calder's Travel Newsletter
Subscribe To Simon Calder's Travel Newsletter
I would like to receive emails about promotions, events, and news from The Independent. Please review our privacy policy.
The UK government has communicated a fresh advisory to British travelers heading to Turkey, alerting them to the dangers of fake currency.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has indicated that banks and currency exchange services might refuse to accept $50 or $100 bills in US dollars.
This is attributed to a noticeable increase in fake banknotes of these values in Turkey.
The FCDO also advised people to avoid accepting these banknotes whenever they can.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkiye states on its website that the techniques employed to counterfeit Turkish lira banknotes are similar to those used for forging foreign currency notes as well.
In Turkey, the US dollar and the Euro are the most commonly faked foreign currencies. Counterfeit US dollar bills are usually made using offset printing techniques, while digital printing methods are predominantly used for creating fake Euro notes.
The bank mentions that fake foreign currency has certain characteristics, such as paper that is readily available commercially, imitations of watermarks and security threads, and specific features that can be identified by holding the notes under UV light to determine their authenticity.
These traits are imitated so effectively that they can easily mislead people.
Less valuable foreign banknotes have been altered prior to their market release to appear like globally accepted, high-value currencies.
The central bank of Turkey has announced that it is collaborating with legal officials regarding the issue.
The bank stated, "As a result of recent media reports about the rise in fake foreign currency in circulation, the judicial authorities have forwarded counterfeit banknotes to us for expert analysis."
Although Turkey attracts many tourists, certain areas are advised against by the FCDO for travel.
The FCDO recommends no travel within 10 kilometers of the Syrian border because of ongoing conflict and an increased chance of terrorism.
To stay updated on travel news and get helpful tips, check out Simon Calder’s podcast.
