Police Warns Against Fraud Involving Souvenir Banknotes

The bundle of souvenir banknotes costs only a few hundred drams, yet criminals can exploit people's negligence to earn thousands of drams. This was reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).

“The souvenir banknotes that have spread in our country resemble the new generation banknotes issued by the Central Bank of Armenia in size, front, and back design. There has been an increase in reports related to the 'sale' of these souvenir banknotes at police stations.

According to analytical data, taxi drivers, delivery personnel, and merchants are particularly becoming victims of this fraud. The police urge business owners and citizens to be vigilant when conducting monetary transactions and to verify the banknotes. The Central Bank also suggests several ways to distinguish between real banknotes and souvenirs.

The images on the front of real banknotes are tangible and uneven, with an optically variable color section present on the left side of the front. When the angle of light changes, this section shifts from green to blue. There is also a protective watermark running from the top to the bottom of the banknote.

Furthermore, a prominent difference is that the back of the mentioned souvenir banknotes has the inscription 'SOUVENIR MONEY OF ARMENIA' in Latin letters, indicating they are souvenir banknotes.

Dear citizens, we again urge you to report immediately by calling 102 if you receive souvenir banknotes as payment for any service. Together, we can at least minimize the number of such incidents, if not entirely eliminate them,” the message states.