Accepting a note as a change is an automatic gesture for most consumers. However, there are increasingly alerts about the risk of circulating with paper that looks like money, but in practice no longer serves for much. In certain cases, these old notes can be rejected by machines or establishments, and even used in sloping schemes.
According to the first series of Euro notes, released between 2002 and 2013, has been gradually replaced by more modern versions known as the European Series. These new versions include reinforced safety elements such as transparent windows, holograms or color change numbers.
Not all notes are still in circulation
Although many of the old grades continue to have a legal course, some have already been removed from active circulation. According to the same source, this process makes it difficult to accept it in automatic payments such as multibancos, parking meters or self-service boxes in supermarkets.
Banco de Portugal’s website explains that even among valid notes, the state of conservation can make a difference. Very spent, faded or torn notes can be rejected by the machines, forcing the consumer to exchange them in the bank.
How to identify a note that can cause problems
Among the most common signs is the outdated design. New notes include mythological portraits, advanced water marks and microtexts. The older ones, the simplest, can go unnoticed until they are refused.
In addition, physical wear is another rejection factor. Bads in poor condition lose rigidity and visibility in the safety elements, becoming incompatible with automatic reading systems.
There are those who take the opportunity to deceive
According to experts cited by the Brazilian Generalist Informative website Informa Brasil, there are slogans in which traders try to get rid of notes that know they are difficult to use. In markets, fairs and tourist zones, there are those who deliver exchanges on old paper, often to tourists or distracted customers.
The problem gets worse when these old notes are used as a basis for counterfeiting. Old models are less known and therefore easier to go unnoticed to the detached eye.
What to do if you receive a suspicious note
If you have questions about the validity of a note, it is best not to use it immediately. According to Banco de Portugal, it can take it to a free exchange bank branch, provided it still belongs to a recognized series.
It is also recommended to store the purchase bead, if it is necessary to complain to the establishment where the note was received. If it is an old currency prior to the euro, such as shields, the exchange time has already expired by 2022, so it is no longer valuable.
A simple verification can avoid boring
Receiving a seemingly normal grade and only then realizes that it is for nothing can be expensive. Before accepting change, it is worth doing a quick check. The color, relief and safety elements are clear signs for those who know what to look for.
After all, at a time when even money can be fooled, being attentive makes all the difference, especially when the damage can fit the whole consumer.
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