Due to the massive exchange of banknotes between different people, surely you have ever touched a broken banknote or one with suspicious ink, and the first advice we give you is not to accept them.
Although not all tickets with ink have lost their value, it is likely that some of them came from an anti-theft system.
As reported by Huffpost, the Bank of Spain is warning of the existence of euro bills that you should reject and distrust, basically because they have stains of ink from an anti-theft system.
The Bank of Spain warns of the existence of those banknotes stained with ink due to the activation of the anti-theft systems that some ATMs have.
Specifically, they explain thatIf upon receiving a ticket stained with ink you suspect that it could come from an anti-theft device, do not accept it and ask for another“, recommends the Bank of Spain.
On the other hand, the European Central Bank explains that this ink comes from anti-theft devices “also known as intelligent banknote neutralization systems, which are activated when a criminal opens a protected container, such as an ATM or the safe of a cash-in-vehicle“.
“These systems make stolen banknotes unusable and lose their value, reducing the risk of merchants, banks or other cash-handling professionals becoming victims of crime”, clarifying that “security ink soaks into it and leaves a trace that is usually more visible at the edges”.
“The most commonly used inks are bright violet, green, blue, red or black. The ink usually spills from the edges towards the center of the banknotes, leaving a characteristic trace. Sometimes, the chemicals with which criminals wash banknotes to try to remove the ink can alter their original color and some security elements can be damaged or even disappear.”, clarifies the European Central Bank.
Not all ink-stained bills are stolen
In any case, they state thatNot all ink-stained banknotes are stolen, since if the banknote has light stains or small marks, but the edges are intact, it is most likely the result of a fortuitous act caused, for example, by ink from a ballpoint pen.”.
If you have in your possession any ticket ink stained, it is best to hand it over to the bank and report how it was received. If the bank verifies that the stains come from an anti-theft system, it could end up informing the police to track the bill and hunt down those responsible.
However, “if the investigation shows that the stains came from an IBNS, you may not be entitled to a refund. National central banks may exchange stained euro banknotes for such devices only if requested by the original owner who has been a victim of the illegal activity causing the stains”.