| Different countries have different legal punishments for | | | | serve time in jail in addition to paying fines for their |
| those producing counterfeit money and the | | | | crime. In the United States, counterfeiting is a federal |
| punishments are quite tough. The reason why the | | | | felony that involves the Secret Service. When found |
| punishments are harsh is because counterfeit money | | | | guilty of this crime, the penalty is 15 years in prison as |
| reduces the value of actual money and causes | | | | well as seizure of the property that was used in the |
| inflation due to the increase of money being circulated | | | | creation of the counterfeit bills. Restitution will most |
| throughout the economy. What this is is an artificial | | | | likely have to be paid on top of a number of fines. |
| increase in the amount of money in the money supply | | | | Another country that imposes a 15 year sentence is |
| that is not authorized. This severely devalues the | | | | South Africa. They too have absolutely no tolerance |
| currency and results in losses that can amount to | | | | for counterfeiters and will place them in prison in a |
| millions of dollars each year. | | | | heartbeat because of the adverse effects |
| The impact is so severe that, unfortunately, the | | | | counterfeiting has on the economy. |
| companies that receive counterfeit money are not | | | | As for Europe's punishment for counterfeiting the Euro, |
| reimbursed for the fake bills, which force them to raise | | | | offenders risk four years in jail and fines that could |
| their prices on their products. Even in countries where | | | | equal up to $120,000. If the crime is an organized crime, |
| their paper money makes up just a fraction of their | | | | then the fines can be up to $360,000. This penalty |
| total circulation of money, the effects of the | | | | seems considerably less than that of the United States |
| counterfeiting may be minimal. However, the | | | | and South Africa, but the fines may be considered |
| confidence in their currency may decrease significantly. | | | | punishment enough although the fines in the United |
| Beginning in 1996, the United States began making | | | | States are determined based on severity of the crime. |
| changes in the design of the $100 bill to keep it from | | | | In Canada, if someone is simply found holding a |
| being counterfeited. Other bills followed suit for 10 | | | | counterfeit bill, the penalty is up to 14 years in prison. |
| years after the initial change. The changes occurred | | | | Australia has a penalty of $5,000 for individuals, |
| as follows:o 1997 the $50 billo 1998 the $20 billo 2000 | | | | $10,000 for corporations and up to 2 years in prison in |
| the $10 and the $5 billo 2003 the $20 bill | | | | addition to the fines. |
| However in 2004, the $50 bill had to be redesigned | | | | Counterfeiting bills poses a problem all over the world |
| again as did the $10 bill in 2006. Fortunately, the $1 and | | | | and it is worse in some places than others. It should be |
| $2 bills are seen to be not worth it for counterfeiters | | | | known that the bills can be traced to their maker and, |
| due to their low value although it is not out of the | | | | once caught, those who produced the counterfeiting |
| question for one of these bills to be reproduced. | | | | money face severe punishment. It is common for the |
| Penalties by country | | | | offenders to think they will never be punished for their |
| Every country has its own set of penalties for | | | | crime, but there are ways in which they can and will |
| counterfeiters. Some just have to pay fines, some just | | | | be tracked down and made to pay for these crimes |
| serve time in jail, and then there are those who must | | | | they commit against the economies of the world. |