Almost every counterfeit prize bond story in Pakistan starts the same way: the bond was bought from a private dealer, a shop, or an individual rather than from an authorised counter. The single most effective protection is where you buy — but it is still worth knowing what a genuine bond looks like.
What a genuine bond has
Prize bonds are printed on security paper by the government's own printing press, and they carry the kind of features used on currency notes:
- Watermark — visible when the bond is held up to the light, not printed on the surface.
- Security thread embedded in the paper rather than printed on it.
- Intaglio printing — parts of the design feel slightly raised to the fingertip.
- Fine microtext and guilloche patterns that stay crisp under a magnifier instead of turning into dots.
- A clear, evenly printed bond number and series, in the correct typeface, with consistent spacing.
- An official issue date stamp applied at the issuing counter.
Photocopies and inkjet forgeries typically fail on three of these at once: the "watermark" is printed rather than in the paper, the surface is uniformly flat, and the microtext blurs.
The five-second check anyone can do
- Light: hold the bond up to a window. The watermark should appear inside the paper.
- Touch: run a fingertip across the printed areas — genuine intaglio has texture.
- Tilt: look at the print at an angle for the sharpness that photocopies lose.
- Read: check that the number is printed straight, evenly spaced and not retouched.
- Compare: if you already own a bond of the same denomination, put them side by side. Differences jump out immediately.
Buying habits that keep you safe
- Buy only from National Savings Centres, SBP-BSC field offices or authorised bank branches.
- Never buy a bond at a discount. Bonds sell at face value; a "cheap" bond is a warning sign, not a bargain.
- Be sceptical of a seller who is in a hurry, who will not let you examine the bond, or who wants to meet outside a bank.
- Do not buy bonds shown to you only in photographs or over WhatsApp.
- Keep the purchase receipt with the bond numbers on it.
What to do if you suspect a fake
Take the bond to a National Savings Centre or an SBP-BSC field office and ask them to verify it. They have the equipment and the reference material to authenticate it properly. Do not attempt to sell on a bond you suspect is counterfeit — presenting a forged security is a criminal matter, whether or not you knew.
The other kind of fraud: fake "winner" messages
Far more people lose money to prize-bond scams than to counterfeit paper. The pattern is always the same: a call, SMS or WhatsApp message says you have won a prize bond draw, and you must pay a "tax", "processing fee" or "clearance charge" first, usually into a personal account or via easy-load.
Remember three facts and no version of this scam can work on you:
- Nobody is notified of a prize bond win by phone. Results are published in lists — you check them yourself.
- Tax is deducted from your prize at the counter. You never pay anything in advance to receive it.
- Prize money is paid by National Savings, SBP-BSC or an authorised bank — never into or out of a private individual's account.
If you receive such a message, do not engage, do not send money, and do not share your CNIC or bank details. Verify any result you are curious about against the official winning list on this site or at a National Savings Centre.