The newspaper Berliner Zeitung recently published an interview with Jens Bachmann, head of the Berlin police department for combating counterfeiters. According to the expert, Berlin records ten such cases every year. Although the bank should exchange a note dispensed to a customer from its ATM, in practice this is difficult because the numbers of notes are not registered in ATMs, Bachmann explained.
As a rule, banks entrust the filling of ATMs with cash to special cash-in-transit companies. According to Martin Hildebrandt, press secretary of the federal industry association BDWS, cash collectors work exclusively with banknotes verified by the Bundesbank. At the same time, Hildebrandt admitted that he cannot rule out the presence of 'black sheep' even in the most law-abiding community, who are too lazy to send money for verification. Meanwhile, the Bundesbank has already announced the start of a large-scale investigation into confirmed episodes.
• There is no doubt that only specialists should handle maintenance of such equipment as ATMs. That is why the transportation of ATMs and installation of banking equipment in serious banks is entrusted only to professionals specializing in such services.
“Check your money before leaving the counter!” Many forget this rule, although, according to Bundesbank spokesman Johannes Korz, anyone can distinguish a counterfeit banknote from a genuine one by a few simple signs. Even if you do not examine each note against the light looking for watermarks, it is enough to pay attention to the rainbow shimmering of the numbers or the silver security foil.
If a customer suspects a banknote is not genuine and the bank is already closed, the criminal investigation department recommends calling the police in any case. Its task is not to confirm the authenticity of the note, but to document the moment the money was withdrawn from the machine. With the police receipt, the customer will be able to get their money during business hours if the note was counterfeit, and it will be easier for the bank to trace the path of the counterfeit money.
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