Due to COVID-19 outbreak counterfeiters of United States dollars and South African Rands have now moved from the streets to online.
Just searching online for counterfeit United States dollars or South African Rand there is always a website that is ready to sell and deliver whatever amount you require. Africa has become a major destination for counterfeit money and pirated goods and there is a lot more people who are prepared to take the risk.
According to the South African Reserve Bank, in the 2020/21 financial year, it measured fake money at 5.68 parts per million it said in its annual report.
In the previous year that number had been 10.76 parts per million, for a decline of 47% in the incidence of counterfeit money in one year. Some of that money filters into Zimbabwe which has its major currency trading as the United States dollar.
Zimbabweans have become so desperate due to the country’s economic challenges and the allure of counterfeiting is obvious.
Imagine, If one could do it without getting caught, if one is able to print their own money and buy whatever you want with it. Counterfeiting is the ultimate technology for criminals who want to get something for nothing.
Yester-year counterfeiting was a difficult and expensive endeavor to start. It required large printing presses and the ability to cut intricate designs by hand into metal plates. With advanced technology, it is much easier to create counterfeit bills.
As the world becomes smaller and easy to travel more and more people are discovering every year advanced technology every year, if one is willing to break the law, they can create fake money with just a PC, a scanner and a colour inkjet printer in about 10 minutes.
There are also websites like https://www.billsdoc.com/ who publicly advertise that you buy Canadian dollars, British Pounds, Euros, Australian dollars and USA dollars. In this article, we will look at the technology of counterfeiting.
In South Africa there is a website https://worldwidefakenotes.com/product/buy-counterfeit-south-african-rands/ where you can buy South African Rands.
Their advert clearly says,
“We produce and sell quality undetectable counterfeit money all around the world, We print Anti-counterfeit banknotes for all currencies. Here is your chance to be a millionaire. PRICE
$500 for 10000 Notes, $700 for 15000 Notes, $900 for 20000 Notes, $1000 for 25000 Notes.
They even have the audacity to include their contact telephone number and all the other details that one may require to contact the counterfeiters.
Zimbabwean authorities should find a way to either detect and block these counterfeit websites from being accessed in Zimbabwe and work with other law enforcement agencies to stop this illegal method of doing business.
Zimbabwe needs a law enforcement unit whose role is to monitor the “dark internet” where some of these illegal activities are prevalent.
By Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi