Record Number of Counterfeit 100-Leva Banknotes Detected, Authorities Warn

Data from the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) shows that in the second quarter of this year, 1,247 counterfeit banknotes were seized in Bulgaria, nearly half of which were 100-leva notes. A significant number of fake 50-leva notes were also detected.

At the shop of Mincho Ivanov in Blagoevgrad, attempts to pay with counterfeit banknotes are a frequent occurrence.

Mincho Ivanov: “Over 25 years, it’s happened many times, around 10 to 15 times a year. I stay vigilant and watchful—I can recognise them from a distance.”

He is always alert and checks the banknotes using an ultraviolet lamp. His many years of retail experience have also taught him how to recognise both the banknotes and suspicious customers.

Mincho Ivanov: “You can clearly see the wet print, the security strip, and the banknote itself isn’t made properly. And I know the people by their eyes—if someone wants to cheat me, it shows; it’s obvious.”

The record was set in 2009, when nearly 15,000 counterfeit banknotes were seized in the retail network, mostly 20-leva notes. In recent years, the trend has shifted towards forging higher-value notes.

When Ferizka Shamova was offered a counterfeit banknote, she immediately recognised it:

“A customer came with a fake 50-leva note. The material of the note itself felt different—the paper. The machine immediately detected it as counterfeit. The customer didn’t believe the note was fake, took it back, and went to check it at a bank, where it was then confiscated.”

However, there are cases where the forgery is so convincing that it even passes machine verification, traders say. Experts advise the following.

The three main features to identify a counterfeit banknote are the relief print, the watermark, and the holographic strip. The relief should be clearly felt when touched on both sides, and the watermark should be visible in detail when held up to the light.

Regarding the holographic strip, when the banknote is tilted, the light should reflect across its surface, causing the image to shift. Paying by card and staying vigilant are the best defence against counterfeit money.