Types of Crime and Investigations

Counterfeit Currency

Like in many other European countries, Austria has adopted the euro as its valid currency. We differentiate between cash payments and non-cash payments, their instruments including credit cards and cheques. Coins (up to a value of 2 euros) and banknotes (starting at five euros) are legal tender in Austria. Commemorative and special-issue coins are popular with collectors, but can only be used in the country were they are minted or printed.

Currency counterfeiting constitutes a crime and is punishable with a term of imprisonment of up to ten years. If a person unwittingly receives counterfeit currency and subsequently spends it knowing that it is counterfeit currency, the person commits an offence, which is punished with a term of imprisonment of up to three years.

The central office dealing with offences related to counterfeit currency is situated at Criminal Intelligence Service Austria’s Sub-Department for Fraud, Forgery and Economic Crime. In cooperation with the provincial CIDs and police stations, all offences committed in Austria are handled here. Austria uses specially trained police dogs to detect counterfeit currency. For complex cases with international dimensions, Europol will be involved.

For further information on counterfeit money, visit the website of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank.