Spotting Counterfeit Money
Busy merchants in the holiday season, are prime targets for getting duped with “funny money”. How can you tell if it’s real money? What if you don’t have one of those special marking pens to be able to tell? The sad thing is, if you accept counterfeit money, it can be confiscated with NO reimbursement from the bank or business that takes it from you. Doesn’t seem fair, but that’s the way it goes! So here are a few tips on checking bill that come your way. . . . .
First: Check the look and feel
This is as far as most people go, and it’s good enough most of the time. US bank notes are printed on special paper that’s 75% cotton and 25% linen. The linen gives it an extra stiffness that’s distinctive. There are also red and blue fibers imbedded and blended right into the paper. US currency is printed with a process called “intaglio” that leaves ink on top of the paper, giving the money a distinctive texture. The printing is also very high in quality. The lines are always sharp and clear, never broken, fuzzy or blotchy.
Second: Check for color shifting ink
Bank notes higher than the $5 bill, use color shifting ink to print the number showing the denomination in the lower-right-hand corner. Just look at the numbers head-on, and then from an angle. For genuine US currency, the color will shift (copper-to-green or green-to-black).
Third: Check for the watermark
All bills largerr than a $2 bill, now have a watermark. When the bill is held up to light you can see an image that matches the portrait of the president. The new $5 bill released in early 2008 however, have a big numeral 5 for a watermark. Either way, you can use it to spot bills that have been bleached and reprinted with a higher denomination.
Fourth: Check for the security thread.
All bills bigger than a $2 have a security thread running vertically through the bill. Like the watermark, you hold the bill up to the light to see it. You’ll be able to see the domination of the bill, in tiny print. The threads also glow different colors under ultraviolet light, but that’s not much help to ordinary folks.)
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interesting. over here, many stores have a small ultraviolet light which they use to check the bills they receive.
Thanks. I had heard about specific trademarks for certain bills, but I didn’t know there were so many that apply to all large bills.
Thanks for this article. I think that it is really informative how you can tell if they are counterfeit. However, most people dont check these things at stores unless they are 100s.