14 Jun 2013

Bank of Botswana (BoB) has alerted the public about circulation of counterfeit P200 banknotes.

The counterfeits are scan copies of genuine P200 banknote bearing serial numbers AA9166255 and AB3028592.

A press release from BoB says both the holographic stripe and the windowed security thread appear as dark patches on the front and back of the counterfeits. The release says the counterfeits are made of ordinary commercial paper, and therefore, have a smooth surface when compared to genuine banknotes.

Genuine banknote paper has a rough feel and does not have a smooth surface and a genuine P200 has a holographic stripe appearing as a wide silver coloured stripe on the front of the banknote.

The release states that the holographic stripe has an image of the Botswana coat of arms and switching images of a zebra’s head and the numeral “200”. The switching images on the holographic stripe should not all appear at the same time, but should switch from one to the other when the banknote is tilted from side to side, says the release.

It further says a genuine P200 also has a windowed security thread, which changes colour from red to green, according to the viewing angle. When held up to the light, the thread can be seen as a continuous line reading “BoB 200”.

The public is urged to be vigilant and exercise caution when accepting banknotes from any source and should closely examine the specified security features. The bank advises the public to report to the nearest police station of any suspicious banknotes discovered or report to BoB offices in Gaborone or Francistown.  ENDS