TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
North Sulawesi warns about potential spread of fake banknotes
Change Size
South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Anton Charliyan shows counterfeit money confiscated from the late Najmiah, an alleged victim of fraud suspect Dimas Kanjeng Taat Pribadi, on Oct. 4. (JP/Andi Hajramurni)
B
ank Indonesia’s (BI) representative office in North Sulawesi has warned about a potential increase in counterfeit money circulated among the public ahead of holidays or political events such as regional elections.
“The spread of fake banknotes might increase right before public holidays such as Christmas, New Year and Idul Fitri, as well as at times before regional elections. The uptrend may be triggered by a surge in people’s daily needs during those times,” A. Yusnang, deputy director of BI’s office in the region, said on Thursday.
(Read also: Police arrest men carrying 15,000 black-dyed counterfeit US dollar notes on Lombok)
Indonesia is set to hold simultaneous regional elections for 101 regions countrywide on Feb. 15.
Yusnang said findings of counterfeit money soared in 2016. In North Sulawesi’s capital of Manado, for instance, there were at least 364 fake banknote cases last year, up from 288 cases in 2015.
“Hence, people in border areas and [small remote] islands need to be educated more so that they can identify fake money by themselves, especially for people who trade with outsiders,” he went on. (vir/ags)
