Ecuador: Beware Counterfeit U.S. Currency

No Comments | August 6th, 2009 | Trackback

Counterfeit U.S. currency is a growing problem throughout the country. The U.S. Embassy in Quito advised residents and visitors to inspect their bills carefully when leaving any banking institution or private business, checking for accuracy, wear and tear, or counterfeiting. Do so before leaving a banking window because banks will normally replace the bad bill with a good one, but if you have left the window you will have a hard time proving you received the counterfeit currency there. The two easiest ways to determine a fake are by looking at the portrait, which in the real bill stands out distinctly from the background but in counterfeit can be lifeless and flat, and searching for watermarks embedded in the paper of real currency. The Embassy said it had also received reports of counterfeit bills being dispensed at ATMs. The best recourse then is to go immediately inside the bank, if it is open, and show your receipt and currency.