In the third quarter of 2023, counterfeit UAE dirhams were detected in Russia for the first time, the Central Bank reported. If we take into account that the Chinese yuan was found along with it in the same quantity, then we can state that the counterfeiters focused on polishing their competencies in the production of the most promising friendly currencies.
Maxim Builov
Maxim Builov
Of course, they do not refuse to counterfeit dollars and euros, which, on the one hand, is beneficial given the high demand, and on the other hand, is patriotic: after all, they undermine the power of the European and American economies. At the same time, the emergence of other unfriendly currencies came to naught. Back in 2021 and 2022, counterfeit pounds sterling and Japanese yen were regularly found (but less frequently). But this year they are no longer visible.
The remaining unfriendly currencies acquire their own characteristics in the hands of counterfeiters. For example, the number of counterfeit euros cannot be systematized and is somewhat reminiscent of the individual graphs of the amount of alcohol consumed in terms of pure alcohol by the ex-foreman of the Pturs assemblers, the hero of the poem “Moscow-Petushki”. Judge for yourself: in the first quarter, 187 counterfeit euros were discovered (even more than dollars), in the second quarter – 16 pieces, in the third – 80 pieces.
With the American currency, everything is consistent and logical. The number of counterfeit dollars declined throughout 2022, from 640 in the first quarter to 184 in the fourth quarter. This is understandable; the prospects for the American currency on Russian soil at that time looked vague: there were restrictions on the part of the regulator and problems with traveling abroad. This year the situation has stabilized, and with it the demand for cash dollars began to grow. Accordingly, the number of detected fakes consistently increased from 170 pieces in the first quarter to 428 pieces in the third.
Another indication that the situation in the country is returning to normal is the fact that a clear seasonality has emerged in the detection of counterfeit dollars. This year, the peak in the number of detected counterfeit dollars occurred in July (291 pieces), gradually increasing from February (62 pieces) and just as smoothly decreasing by September (109 pieces). During periods of cataclysms, both pandemic and geopolitical, in 2020–2022, seasonality failed. But back in 2019, the peak detection of counterfeit dollars also occurred in the summer months: June – 255 pieces, July – 234 pieces, August – 227 pieces.
In a word, counterfeiters can well serve as a barometer the state of not only the Russian economy, but also the tourism industry, and even the psychological state of society. And if we take into account the testing of individual friendly currencies, then it is also a weather vane indicating promising areas of trade. So we are waiting for the fake rupee to appear.
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