What to do if you suspect the authenticity of a banknote or coin (whether Mexican or foreign)?
If you have a banknote or coin that you suspect to be counterfeit, do not use it to make payments. Making payments with counterfeit money is a federal crime punishable by up to 12 years in prison. You must take the suspected piece to any commercial bank branch, where it will be sent free of charge to Banco de México for analysis. Banco de México is the only institution in Mexico authorized to determine whether a banknote or coin is authentic or counterfeit.
If, during a transaction, you are told that one of your banknotes or coins appears to be counterfeit, ask for it to be returned to you. Only banks are authorized to retain presumably counterfeit items. In exchange, the bank must provide you with a form known as Receipt for the Retention of Presumably Counterfeit or Altered Banknotes and Coins, also known as Annex 6. It is very important that this receipt includes a Currency Authentication Number (SAM receipt number, for its acronym in Spanish) issued by Banco de México or the number generated by the financial institution in case of a contingency. This number will allow you to track your banknote or coin. It is also important that both the bank teller handling the retention and you write your names and sign the form.
The financial institution has 20 banking business days to deliver the piece to Banco de México. Once received, Banco de México has up to 10 banking business days to analyze and publish the results in case it is national currency, or 20 banking business days if it is foreign currency.
To find out the results, you can either contact the bank that retained the piece or check them online in the following section of Banco de México’s website:
If the piece is found to be authentic, the bank that retained it will reimburse you the corresponding amount. If the piece is determined to be counterfeit or altered, it will remain under Banco de México’s custody and you will not recover its value.
These procedures are carried out in accordance with Articles 19 and 20 of the Monetary Law of the United Mexican States (Ley Monetaria de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos), which is applicable to both Mexican and foreign currencies.
* Available only in Spanish.
What to do if you receive a presumably counterfeit piece (PPF, for its acronym in Spanish) from an ATM or a bank teller?
According to Article 48 Bis 1 of Mexico’s Credit Institutions Law (Ley de Instituciones de Crédito), if you receive a PPF from an ATM or a bank teller, you have the right to claim its value from the financial institution that owns the ATM or from the branch where it was dispensed. It is the financial institution’s responsibility to address such incidents. However, to file a claim, you only have up to five (5) banking business days from the date you received the piece.
To file a claim, the person who received the PPF must promptly visit the financial institution that owns the ATM or the branch where the PPF was received and:
- Submit the PPF. If you no longer have it because another bank retained it, you must provide the Receipt for the Retention of Presumably Counterfeit or Altered Banknotes and Coins, also known as Annex 6, which the bank must have given you upon receiving the PPF.
- Present a valid official ID.
- Provide a detailed handwritten statement describing the circumstances under which you received the suspected counterfeit banknote or coin, including the branch name, date, time, and any other relevant details.
- Provide the transaction receipt, such as an ATM receipt (if available; this is not mandatory).
In return, you will receive an Annex 6 receipt, which must include the SAM receipt number to track your claim.
The word “claim” must be clearly stated.
The financial institution has (5) banking business days, starting from the date the claim is submitted to verify whether the transaction occurred as described in the claimant’s written statement. If the claim is approved, the bank must reimburse to the claimant the full value of the banknote or coin.
If the claim is denied, the bank must provide you with a written explanation stating the reasons for not being accepted.
Even if your claim is initially denied, you may still wait for the result of the official analysis conducted by Banco de México. If the piece is confirmed to be authentic, you have the right to have its value reimbursed.
IMPORTANT: Please remember that you lose money the moment you receive a counterfeit banknote or coin, not when Banco de México determines it is not authentic.
To protect yourself from counterfeiters and avoid financial loss, learn how to identify genuine banknotes by checking their security features.
For more information dial 800-BANXICO (800 226 9426) or send an e-mail to dinero@banxico.org.mx
Customer service hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., on banking business days.