What to do if you get a counterfeit or suspicious-looking banknote

Many banks use smoke and ink cartridges that are released in case of robbery to discolour the banknotes. Contact your bank if you are not sure whether a banknote is genuine or has been discoloured during a robbery.


Crime must not pay, and the proceeds from a robbery must be difficult to use. Therefore, anti-theft ink cartridges may be placed among the banknotes at a bank or a cash-in-transit van. The ink cartridges are released in case of robbery. They discolour the banknotes to make them more difficult to use.

Strange-looking banknotes, for instance banknotes that are discoloured, burnt or cleaned, could be from a robbery. This is not honest money, and you should not accept it.

Counterfeiting is (fortunately) limited

Counterfeiting of Danish banknotes is very limited. If you are not sure whether a banknote is counterfeit, check the advanced security features of Danish banknotes that make them difficult to counterfeit or copy. The hologram, watermark and the feel of the paper may help you to determine whether a banknote is genuine or counterfeit.

Only accept honest money

  • Do not accept discoloured, burnt, cleaned or other suspicious-looking banknotes.
  • Refer the holders of such banknotes to their bank.
  • Contact your bank or the bank of your workplace if you have accepted a suspisious.looking banknote by mistake.
  • In the event of gross negligence where you should have discovered that a banknote is discoloured, burnt or cleaned, the amount is forfeited.

If you have accepted a discoloured or suspicious-looking banknote by mistake, hand it in at your bank, which will contact Danmarks Nationalbank.

Contact your bank

If you have accepted a coloured or suspicious-looking banknote by mistake, hand in the banknote to your bank. If you accepted the banknote in a work-related capacity, contact the bank of your workplace. Here you need to explain how you came to be in possession of the banknote. Your bank then submits the banknote and your explanation to Danmarks Nationalbank. Your bank may also report the matter to the police if this may help to solve a crime.

If you have accepted a suspicious-looking banknote by mistake, Danmarks Nationalbank will exchange it. But in the event of gross negligence where you should have discovered that a banknote is discoloured, burnt or cleaned, the banknote will be confiscated and the amount is forfeited.