Know your money and prevent yourself and others from being defrauded
In terms of section 14 of the SARB Act, only the SARB has the right to issue banknotes and coins in South Africa. Any reproduction of banknote images – even for artistic or advertising uses – is strictly forbidden
A warning has been made by the SAPS and security groups regarding the circulation of counterfeit R200 notes in the KZN area.
In response to this, the South African Reserve Bank has released the following information to provide consumers with information on how to possibly recognise if they have been passed on a fake note.
Know Your Money
It is the responsibility of the SARB to ensure and maintain the integrity of banknotes and coins in circulation. The SARB has to ensure that banknotes and coins remain a secure method of payment, a unit of account, and a store of wealth. Banknotes and coin derive their value from the trust that the citizens have in that country’s currency.
To identify counterfeit notes, it is important to be aware of the security features incorporated in banknotes. When inspecting banknotes the Look, Feel, and Tilt method should be adopted.
Look
By holding a banknote up to the light, the following features can be observed:
Security thread
The security thread is the shiny strip on the front of the banknote, which becomes a continuous solid line when held to the light. The words “SARB”, “Rand”, the denomination, and the South African coat of arms should be visible.
Watermark
The watermark is an embedded image of Nelson Mandela to the left of the front of the banknote. The with the denomination numeral.
Feel
By lightly running your fingertips over the banknote, the following features can be observed.
Raised print
On the front of the banknote, the portrait of Nelson Mandela and the words SOUTH AFRICAN RESERVE BANK will feel slightly raised or rough.
Visual aid feature
The raised lines on the bottom left and right of the front of the banknote are aids for the visually impaired. The R10 has one line, the R20 two lines, the R50 three lines, the R100 four lines, and the R200 five lines.
Tilt
By tilting a banknote, the following features can be observed”
Security thread
The metallic thread will reflect light and exhibit a slight colour shift.
Colour-changing ink
The numerals on the bottom right of the banknote are printed with a colour-changing ink. The R10 and R20 banknotes exhibit a slight colour shift, whereas the R50, R100 and R200 banknotes appear to have a moving line. If you suspect that you have a counterfeit note, see Counterfeit Notes below.
Counterfeit Notes
In terms of section 14 of the SARB Act, only the SARB has the right to issue banknotes and coins in South Africa. Any reproduction of banknote images – even for artistic or advertising uses – is strictly forbidden.
Counterfeit currency includes imitation notes or coins produced without the legal sanction of the SARB. Counterfeiting currency and the possession thereof are crimes.
By law, counterfeit notes found in circulation cannot be exchanged for cash, as they have no value. To confirm the validity of a banknote, the approach of Look, Feel, and Tilt can be used.
The SARB, the South African Police Service and commercial banks work together to combat the counterfeiting of banknotes and coins. Members of the public who come into possession of counterfeit banknotes and coins must immediately report it to their nearest police station.
For further assistance please use the following sources and contacts:
Phone: 0123996556
Email: currency@resbank.co.za
Website: www.resbank.co.za
Download: SARBCurrency App (Google Play Store)
Send all queries to: Contact us on the SARB Website (www.resbank.co.za)
