What you should notice with the ink – stained bills

Useful advice to traders on ink-stained banknotes is provided by the European Central Bank. If someone tries to give you a bill covered in ink, don’t accept it because it’s probably stolen. CORVERSE Some ink – stained banknotes have been damaged by anti-theft devices due to criminal activity. Ink is derived from intelligent banknote disuse systems (Intelligent banknote neutralisation system), which are activated when criminals open protected cash packages, such as ATMs or cash dispatch safes. These anti-theft systems make stolen banknotes worthless and worthless, thereby reducing the risk of commercial enterprises, banks and other professional cash handlers falling victim to criminal action. CORVERSE While ink is one of the most common methods of disusing stolen banknotes, other tools are used to protect cash, such as glue. Inside an ATM tape all banknotes are bonded with glue forming a solid brick. If someone tries to remove individual banknotes, they are torn into pieces. When a banknote is stained by an anti-theft device, the safety ink prevents the banknote. The most commonly used safety inks are bright purple, green, blue, red or black. The ink usually flows from the edges to the center of the banknotes and leaves a characteristic imprint. Sometimes chemicals used by criminals to remove ink can cause discoloration. As a result, the original colours of banknotes could also be altered and certain security features may be destroyed or even extinct. It is worth noting, however, that not all ink – stained banknotes are stolen. For example, if on the banknote there are very faint spots or certain small marks and the edges are intact, then the marks have probably been caused by accident. Such spots may have been caused, for example, by a pen that loses ink rather than by an anti-theft device, so you can accept them. What to do If someone, however, gives you a banknote that has clearly been stained by an anti-theft device ink, do not accept it and ask for another. You cannot be sure that the person who gives you the banknote is his legal owner. At the same time, refuse bleached or coloured banknotes, because criminals probably tried to remove ink stains caused by the anti-theft device, washing or bleaching the banknotes. If you have accepted a banknote stained with ink, you should hand it over to your bank or to (El. Venizelos 21) informing them about how it came into your hands. The Bank of Greece will check whether ink stains were caused by an anti-theft device and can inform the police who can use the banknotes as evidence in its investigations. You may not be entitled to compensation if investigations show that ink spots were caused by an anti-theft device. The Bank of Greece can exchange euro banknotes stained by anti-theft devices only at the request of the original holder who was the victim of the criminal action that caused the banknote to be stained. If investigations confirm that ink stains were not made by an anti-theft device and that the marks on the banknote have been accidentally caused, you will receive a new banknote or the corresponding amount will be credited to your bank account.