Is My Bill Counterfeit
How To Tell If It's Counterfeit Money
How To Tell Real Confederate Money From Fake

How to check if a U.S. Bill is counterfeit money. I was on a plane once looking through the Skymall and saw an ad for a counterfeit money detection kit aimed at business owners. Counterfeit banknotes circulate in Mexico, as they do in every country around the world. Notwithstanding the prospect of a twelve-year prison sentence for counterfeiting money, some people still chance their luck by printing rogue notes in an attempt to pass them off as genuine. How it Works: Counterfeit pens use an iodine-based ink that reacts with starches contained in wood. Because real money is printed on linen and cotton paper, the ink remains clear or slightly yellow. If a bill is printed on wood-based paper, the ink reacts and turns dark. Jan 04, 2018 It is important to know what the security features are in genuine currency, because if you end up with a counterfeit note, you will lose that money. A counterfeit note cannot be exchanged for a genuine one, and it is illegal to knowingly pass counterfeit currency.

If you sell merchandise for cash then it's important that you know how to verify a five dollar bill. In this article we'll go over counterfeit money detectors and also how to use the eye test.

Counterfeit Money Detectors

The easiest way to find out if a bill is real or not is to use a counterfeit money detector. These products will automatically tell if you have a real bill or a fake.

Counterfeit detector pens are the most affordable money detector products. These small devices retail for less than 10 dollars. But don't let the price deceive you, these pens are effective and many people swear by them.

There are more advanced money detectors that scan the entire bill. Most of these money detectors retail for around $10-100. If you run a business then it may be wise to invest in one of these products.

Note that most of these products are not always 100% accurate. This is why it's also recommended that you use the eye test in addition to using a money detector.

Eye Test

When doing the eye test, you'll need to verify that the bill looks authentic and that all the security features are present. The verification process is quick and simple once you know what to look for.

1. Verify the Watermarks

Watermarks can be found in two different locations. When you hold the bill up at an angle, you should see a large numeral 5 on the right side of the bill where the clear section is. Also to the left of Lincoln's portrait there are three smaller numeral 5s shown vertically. The watermarks were first added to the $5 bill in 1999.

2. Verify the Security Thread

The vertical security thread can be seen when you hold the bill up at an angle. The number 5 and the abbreviation USA can be seen multiple times on the security thread. It's also possible to spot the security thread under a UV black light. The security thread was first added to the $5 bill in 1993.

3. Examine the Microprinting

There are tiny words printed on the bill. In order to see the microprinting you may need a magnifying glass. The microprinting can be found in three different locations on the the bill.

On the obverse side of the bill, the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM can be found at the top of the shield within the Great Seal. The abbreviation USA is found in between the columns of the shield. The words FIVE DOLLARS can be seen inside the bill's vertical borders.

On the reverse side of the bill, the words USA FIVE can be seen on the lower part of the purple numeral 5.

Microprinting was first added to the $5 bill in 1993.

Is My Bill Counterfeit

Conclusion

If you use a counterfeit money detector and/or use the eye test, then you should be able to accurately determine whether or not your bill is real. We recommend buying a money detector to give you more peace of mind. If you own a business then a money detector could save you a lot of money over time.

See also:

How to Tell If a 100 Dollar Bill Is Real
How to Tell If a 50 Dollar Bill Is Real
How to Tell If a 20 Dollar Bill Is Real
How to Tell If a 10 Dollar Bill Is Real
How to Tell If a 1 Dollar Bill Is Real

How to detect counterfeit banknotes

This fake $100 note was found in Tasmania.Source:Supplied

COUNTERFEIT banknote detections are climbing despite Australians now doing most of their transactions electronically.

As a new $50 banknote hits the streets this month, money specialists say there are some simple ways to make sure the cash you receive is legitimate.

The latest Reserve Bank of Australia data shows that in 2017-18 there were 25,874 counterfeit banknotes detected, up from 25,491 the previous financial year. The value of the counterfeits jumped almost 20 per cent to $1.74 million amid an increase in fake $100 bills detected.

Prajit Nanu, CEO of cross-border money transfer company InstaReM, said $100 notes were carried less frequently, so counterfeits “might not be as noticeable in comparison to the more common notes carried”.

He said penalties for using fake banknotes included up to 12 years’ jail and a $60,000 fine, but people could identify suspicious notes by:

Can you spot the real hundred dollar note? (Psssst! It’s the one in the middle)Source:News Corp Australia

While the raw numbers of counterfeit banknotes rose last financial year, the level of counterfeiting in Australia remains low by world standards.

How To Tell If It's Counterfeit Money

They are still relatively rare – someone using 10 bank notes a day would take an estimated 13 years to come across a fake one – although there was a string of counterfeit $100 notes circulating in some cities’ cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops earlier this year.

The Reserve Bank says people are within their rights to refuse to accept a banknote if they have concerns.

How To Tell Real Confederate Money From Fake

“Suspect banknotes should be given to State or Federal police. It is important to note that counterfeits have no value – you will not be reimbursed. If they prove to be genuine banknotes, you will receive full value for them,” it says.

Finder.com.au insights manager Graham Cooke said this month’s release of new $50 notes – which were harder than ever to forge – was probably pushing criminals towards producing fake $100 notes instead.

“Banks have internal digital checking security so it’s unlikely you would get a counterfeit note from an ATM,” he said.

“As we shift more towards digital ways of paying for things, these problems could disappear altogether.”

Finder said improved digital security meant debit and credit cards might be the easiest escape from the risks of counterfeit currency.

Originally published asHow to spot a fake banknote

How To Tell Real From Counterfeit Money