NBK calls customers to verify banknotes before accepting them

23/01/2026 02:53 AST

As part of its commitment to actively taking part in raising awareness and promoting financial inclusion and culture among all society segments, National Bank of Kuwait continues to support the banking awareness campaign "Let's Be Aware", launched by the Central Bank of Kuwait in collaboration with local banks and the Kuwait Banking Association. In this light, NBK is intensifying its educational material and awareness content, including video clips, text messages, and tips, across all its social media platforms and digital channels, in addition to reposting CBK material to educate all segments of society financially and raise their awareness about various fraud methods and ways to avoid them.

Through this campaign, NBK highlights the issue of counterfeit banknotes, stressing the necessity to be cautious and verify the security features of the banknote before accepting and circulating it.

With the constantly advancing and growingly deceptive methods of counterfeiting, NBK is keen to educating the public about these methods and ways to avoid them to protect their money and contribute to combating these financial crimes that threaten economic stability. To this end, NBK advised the public to follow a set of basic rules that ensure safe handling of banknotes, based on the security features officially approved by CBK, because the customers' awareness of these features is the first line of defense against forgery attempts.

Moreover, the Bank emphasized the need to carefully inspect the banknote's design, texture, and integrated security threads before accepting it, which relies on an integrated approach that consists of five steps: (look, feel, lift, move, verify). The steps begin with "look" to observe the clarity of the colors and distinctive drawings for each category, then "feel" to check the raised printing and symbols designed for people with visual impairments.

As for the "lift" step, it involves checking the watermark in the shape of a falcon's head and observing the completion of the irregular elements when exposed to light, while the "move" step focuses on tracking the change in the color of the wave in the security strip and the change in the color of the security thread when tilted. Finally, the process concludes with a "verify" step using ultraviolet (UV) light to detect phosphorescent elements, which are among the most accurate and tamper-proof security features. These steps represent a practical and quick mechanism that everyone can follow to ensure the authenticity of the banknote in circulation.

NBK called on all citizens and residents to take the time to examine the banknotes they receive, especially after large transactions or in crowded places where fraudsters find it easy to distract attention. It is worth noting that NBK is making enormous efforts to keep communicating with customers and utilizing all its digital channels, which have the largest following among Kuwaiti banks, to support the efforts of CBK in protecting customers and the economy.

It is also worth mentioning that NBK is a key promoter and participant in all CBK's campaigns and initiatives to increase financial and banking awareness among different segments of society. As one of the leading financial institutions in Kuwait, the Bank frequently organizes various activities to raise awareness on all topics related to the banking sector, as well as a wide range of training courses for its employees to enhance their knowledge and expertise in the areas of combating fraud and financial crime, in addition to its presence on all its social media platforms.

Kuwait Times