Things to Check For in Counterfeit Money
There are several things that are obvious to the eye that you can check for with counterfeit money. However, the subtler traces of fakery can require deep scrutiny in order to tell if a bill is counterfeit.
Ultraviolet Checks
When you run a bill under ultraviolet (UV) light, you should see different hues emitted from each type of bill. There is a glow that shows only when the security thread is hit by UV light. When a $100 dollar bill is lit up with UV light, it glows red or pink. A $50 bill will glow yellow, a $20 bill green, a $10 bill orange, and a $5 bill blue.
Red and Blue Weaving
In a true and authentic banknote, you will notice that there are red and blue threads that are literally woven into the material that makes up the bill. Fake money often has this pattern printed on the surface of the bill, but it is not woven in like a real bill.
Serial Number Check
The serial number on a bill has to correspond to the specific year that is printed on the bill. If it doesn’t, it is definitely a fake. For example, for E the serial number is 2004, G is 2004A, I is 2006, J is 2009, and L is 2009A. These serial numbers help businesses tell the difference between real and counterfeit money.
Raised Printing
In every real bill, you will notice that the banknote has raised printing. This can be felt with your fingertips or fingernails as you rub the bill. The raised printing should allow you to feel vibrations across the textured ridges of the raised surface. This is really hard for counterfeiters to recreate properly.
Microprinting Ink Print Signs
All authentic banknotes are made with a die-cut printing plate. They have high levels of detail and very intricate lines. If they are blurred at all, this means that it is fake. All over the bill, you can check if the microprinting is legible with a magnifying glass. If it is blurry or hard to read, you will know it is definitely a counterfeit bill
Watermark Check
The easiest way to check if a bill is genuine is by holding it up to a light to see the watermark. It typically is a replica of the face found on the front of the bill. On some bills, it’s simply an oval mark. It should be on the right side of the bill. If it’s a face, it should look like the face on the front of the bill.
Ink Color Changes
The ink on every genuine bill should shift color when you tilt it back and forth as of 1996. This ink should shift between gold and green, or green and black. If it’s just plain black ink, it likely is not a real one.
Learn More About Counterfeit Money Tests
If you need help checking if your money is counterfeit, you can check accubanker.com. There is a lot of additional information and tools to help you.
8 Ways to Spot Counterfeit Money
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