NCJ Number
66349
Date Published
1977
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THE REPORT OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT TO THE 46TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF INTERPOL ON INTERNATIONAL CURRENCY COUNTERFEITING DURING 1976 SUMMARIZES TOPICS DISCUSSED AT THE SIXTH COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY CONFERENCE.
Abstract
STATISTICS ON PAPER CURRENCY COUNTERFEITING FOR THE YEAR 1976 ARE ALSO PRESENTED. CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS ESTABLISHED THAT COUNTERFEITERS CONTINUES TO MANUFACTURE STRONG CURRENCIES, THAT THE NUMBER OF COUNTERFEITS OF OTHER SECURITY DOCUMENTS, ESPECIALLY CHECKS, WAS GROWING, AND THAT COUNTERFEIT MANUFACTURE WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY BANK DOCUMENT THEFTS DURING TRANSPORT. A RESOLUTION SUPPORTED COOPERATION IN CASES OF COUNTERFEIT MEANS OF PAYMENT. U.S. METAL CURRENCY WAS ALSO COUNTERFEITED, AND THE NUMBER OF COUNTERFEITS WAS DECREASING. BUT THERE WAS A DANGEROUS UPWARD TREND IN CIRCULATION OF GOLD COIN IMITATIONS. LAWS WERE GENERALLY TOO TOLERANT OF FRAUDULENT ALTERATION AND COUNTERFEITING OF FOREIGN CURRENCY AND SECURITY DOCUMENTS, AS WELL AS MANUFACTURE OF PUBLICITY BANKNOTES. NEVERTHELESS, A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES HAD NOT SIGNED THE 1929 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION COVERING COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY. AS COUNTERFEITERS TEND TO OPERATE ON AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, COOPERATION TO CONTROL ILLEGAL TRAFFIC IN GENUINE CURRENCY AND MARKETING OF COUNTERFEITING EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENT OF BANKS' FRAUD REPORTING POLICIES AND MAINTENANCE OF AN UP-TO-DATE SPECIMEN COLLECTION WERE CALLED FOR. NOTABLE CHANGES IN COOUNTERFEITING TECHNIQUES WERE INCREASING USE OF COLOR COPIERS FOR COUNTERFEITING CURRENCY, IMITATION OF PAPER WATERMARKS, AND ELECTROEROSION FOR REPRODUCING COINS. COUNTERFEITING PREVENTION CAN BE ENCOURAGED BY PRODUCTION OF VERY ORIGINAL, HIGH-QUALITY GENIUNE NOTES ON GOOD PAPER WITH EASILY IDENTIFIABLE PRINTED FEATURES, WATERMARKS, AND SECURITY FIBERS, BY DESIGN OF BILLS TO ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF INHABITANTS OF DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS, AND BY USE OF UNUSUAL ALLOYS IN COINS. STATISTICS INDICATE 26 PERCENT INCREASE IN CURRENCY COUNTERFEITING, WITH THE NUMBER OF COUNTERFEIT CURRENCIES REMAINING AT 28. U.S. BILLS WERE MOST IMITATED, WITH AN INCREASE IN TOTAL FACE VALUE OF 57 PERCENT OVER 1975. MANY OTHER TYPES OF COUNTERFEIT PAYMENT INSTRUMENTS WERE REPORTED. FOR A SUPPLEMENT TO THE REPORT, SEE NCJ 66351.