Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

If you have a US dollar bill that feels uncertain whether it is real or fake, read the following steps to be able to confirm whether it is real or fake. Of course, it is illegal to possess, use or print counterfeit money and if a Court prosecutor can prove that you are intending to defraud or use counterfeit money under US Federal law, the sentence you face can go up to 20 years in prison. Therefore, if you receive a counterfeit bill, immediately return it to the authorities for processing instead of putting it in circulation.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Manual Test

1. 

   Touch the paper material of money. If it is counterfeit, you will feel its paper material is different from real money when you touch it normally.
   • Real money is made from cotton and cotton linens. And therefore, the material of the real money bill will be very different from the normal paper made from wood. Real money is made from a material that is more durable and retains its sharpness after a period of use while ordinary paper becomes softer and more easily torn as it ages.
   • Paper used to print money cannot be sold in a commercial manner. The chemical composition of the paper and ink is also kept secret. And even if you have no experience in detecting counterfeit money, you can see for yourself the difference in this exceptionally obvious money printing paper.
   • Real US Dollars are printed with ink floating slightly above the surface during the imprinting process. And you should feel this ink, especially if it's a new dollar, you will feel it best.
   • Move your fingernail to touch the portrait of the bill, and you'll feel those distinctive ripples. Counterfeit money cannot reproduce this special feature.

2. 

   
   
   Pay attention to the thinness of the bill. Real money is usually thinner than counterfeit money.
   • The printing process usually involves the pressure of thousands of pounds on a bill when printing. Therefore, real money is usually thinner than plain paper.
   • The only easy way most counterfeiters can print counterfeit money today is with a thin rag, which can be easily purchased at most stationery stores. But no matter how sophisticated the production is, it's still thicker than real money.

3. 

   
   
   Compare that note with another note of the same denomination and serial number. Other denominations will look different too, so compare it to a bill of the same denomination.
   • If you are still in doubt about the quality of the note, pick it up and compare it with your real money note, you will also feel a little different.
   • All denominations, except for the 1 and 2 coins, have been redesigned at least once since 1980, so it is best to compare the note you suspect to a note with the same serial number. or date.
   • In short, the appearance of current notes has changed quite a bit over the years, but the different perceptions about bills are almost intact. The feel of a dollar bill made 50 years ago compared to the one made in recent years is almost no different.
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Method 2 of 4: Visual Examination

1. 

   
   
   Check print quality. Counterfeit money usually tends to be only relative flatness and lack of detail. This is because when making real money, the printing method is kept private and therefore extremely difficult to copy. Hence, counterfeit money is often forced to be produced in an adaptive fashion.
   • Real US dollars are printed by offset printing and digital printing (the conventional printing method used by today's counterfeiters) that is not widely applicable anywhere. Pay attention to blurred areas, especially sharp details like the edge of a note.
   • Look for colored threads on the bill. All real US dollar bills have very thin colored strands on them. Counterfeit money often tries to imitate by printing this and even drawing colored strands on the bill. Therefore, the blue and red thread will be printed on the counterfeit note instead of just a small part of the real bill.

2. 

   Let's look at the contours. According to Secret Service officials, the fringes of real money are often "clear and unbroken".
   • On the seal of the Federal Reserve, the jagged points on the rim are usually very sharp and clear right on the real money note. The accents of counterfeit bills often have irregular, broken or jagged jagged spots.
   • Pay attention to even the smallest ink stains. Due to the difference in printing method between real money and counterfeit money, so often smudges appear on counterfeit notes.

3. 

   Observe the portrait on the bill. Look at the pictures of the leaders on the bill. There will be certain discrepancies that reveal whether the bill is fake.
   • Portraits on counterfeit bills are often blurred, blurred or odd, while on real bills, the portrait of leaders will be very sharp and beautiful with harmonious features.
   • On real bills, portraits tend to stand out from the background of bills. On counterfeit notes, the color of portraits is often overly mixed.
   • Use the magnifying glass to take a close look at the edges of portraits. The phrase "United States of America" ​​repeats along the edge of the portrait. And it looks like a bold line if seen with the naked eye. This feature is especially difficult to copy with conventional printers and copiers due to the limited size and meticulousness, detail ..

4. 

   Check the serial number. Usually there will be 2 serial numbers on the face of the bill on each side of the portrait. So look closely at the note and make sure the serial numbers match.
   • Observe the color of the serial number on the face of the note and compare it with the color of the Federal Treasury stamp. If it doesn't match, the note you suspect is probably counterfeit.
   • Counterfeit money usually has an irregularly dispersed and unlinear serial number sequence.
   • If you receive a stack of money that is suspicious of counterfeit money, see if the serial number is the same. Counterfeiters often skip the step of changing the serial number of counterfeit notes. So if the serial numbers are all the same, they are definitely counterfeit money!
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Method 3 of 4: Check Security Points

1. 

   Check the bill under the light. In addition to the 1 and 2 dollar bills, all other US dollar bills have safety bands (plastic strips) that run from top to bottom along the note.
   • This safety strip is imprinted under the note and runs straight from the blank to the left of the Federal Reserve mark. With real money, you will easily see this strip under the lights.
   • Immediately below the face value of the US dollar bill is the words "USA", clearly marked in words for the 10 and 20 dollar bills, except for the denominations of USD 5, 50, and 100, which are marked with numbers. These strips are placed in different positions depending on denominations to avoid low denomination notes being erased and counterfeited to high denomination.
   • Real money will read the words engraved on both the front and back of the note. If you don't see this in the lights, chances are the sheet you're holding is fake.

2. 

   Use light ultraviolet light to observe the safety strip. The security strip on high denomination notes usually has this special color.
   • A $ 5 bill will be bright green, and a $ 10 note will be bright orange, a $ 20 note will be bright green, a $ 50 note will be bright yellow, and a $ 100 note in bright pink.
   • If the suspicious note is only white in the dark, it is most likely a counterfeit note.

3. 

   Check the imprint on the note. Under natural light, if you see a portrait of a leader on the banknote, it will be real money!
   • Check the bill under the light to check for this imprint.The portrait photo's imprint will appear on $ 10, 20, 50, and 100 bills with serial numbers from 1996 or earlier, and on $ 5 bills with serial numbers from 1999 and before.
   • The watermark is imprinted on the bill to the right of the portrait photo and is easily visible from both sides of the note.

4. 

   Tilt the bill to check for ink color change. There is a color shift in the ink when you tilt the bill to the other side.
   • Banknotes with gradient ink are $ 100, 50, and $ 20 with serial numbers from 1996 or earlier, on $ 10 notes with serial numbers from 1999 or earlier.
   • The $ 5 bill and lower denomination notes do not have this feature. The original ink color usually appears to be from blue to black, but can be from bronze to green on redesigned bills in recent years.

5. 

   Check the fine print on words and numbers. They can be difficult to see with the naked eye and cannot be read without a magnifying glass.
   • Beginning in 1990, fine print was applied at certain points on the $ 5 note (usually changed periodically since 1990) and higher denomination notes.
   • Don't worry about those specials. Because micro printing technology is difficult to copy, counterfeit money often cannot have this feature.
   • Counterfeit money with micro printing technology tends to have fuzzy letters and numbers. On real money, the micro printing technology is usually very clear and sharp.
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Method 4 of 4: Correctly Handling Counterfeit Money

1. Never shake hands to produce counterfeit money. Because it is illegal to possess, use or manufacture counterfeit money and if a Court prosecutor can prove that you are intending to defraud, or use counterfeit money then under US Federal law the sentence for up to 20 years in prison.
   • If the counterfeit money gets in your hands, do not circulate the counterfeit money traded to other people's hands but instead follow the instructions below. Examine the note you suspect. Remember who gave you the note.
   • If you get a counterfeit bill, send it to Secret Service / Investigation. Failure to report or intentionally circulate counterfeit money will make you even more wrong if someone reports you as circulating counterfeit money.
2. Try to remember who gave the note to you. If possible, procrastinate accepting money from anyone as long as possible and visualizing the person's appearance if possible. Take note of anyone who accompanies or is related to that person. Include their driver's license number if possible.
   • Also be aware that the person who gave you the counterfeit bill may not be the one who produced the counterfeit money. They can also be victims of the counterfeiting circulation.
   • There is usually no contact between the sender and the notes, so people often check for the bills they receive. For example, quite a few cashiers in stores often check large denominations before receiving them from any customer. In this way, the cashier can associate these suspiciously suspicious notes with the person who gave them.
3. Contact the authorities immediately. Find the address of the nearest police office. Office of the US Secret Service. Contact phone numbers are often easily found on the first page of your local phone book or easily found online.
4. Avoid taking counterfeit money. Carefully store it with envelope or small bag. This will make it easier for the authorities to collect more information regarding counterfeit money: fingerprints, compounds or chemicals used to print, how to print, etc. that you will remember about detecting counterfeit money and helping others avoid making the same mistake you do.
5. Write down all the information you know. Write the marks and the date you received the note on the edge of a suspicious note or on the envelope you used to hold the note. Date information will help you remember the date when the counterfeit came to you or the symbols who discovered it was fake.
6. Fill out the information on the counterfeit statement from Secret Service / Investigation. When you receive a counterfeit note, you must fill out this form. This declaration form can be found online at http://www.secretservice.gov/forms/ssf1604.pdf.
   • When a counterfeit statement is filed with this return, it will be considered counterfeit unless there is other evidence.
   • Fill out 1 statement for each suspected counterfeit statement.
   • This winch is used to transfer to the bank the person who discovered the counterfeit money, as well as personally circulating it. If you receive a primary counterfeit note at a bank where you are an employee, report it immediately to your manager and complete this form.
7. Transfer the counterfeit money to Secret Service / Investigation or an authorized person for verification. When asked, present any information you know pertaining to the counterfeit note, people associated with it, or any information you remember when receiving the counterfeit note.
   • You will not be entitled to a refund for this fake money transfer. This will help to avoid individuals receiving the money for free if they themselves produce the fake money and pretend to bring the report to receive the money.
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Advice

• "Correct currency denomination". Low denominations tend to now be bleached old ink and reprinted at higher denominations. These notes are often easily detected by looking at the position (or missing) of the safety strip or the imprint when illuminated under an electric light. If you are still unsure, compare this note with another note of the same denomination.
• The Secret Service and the US Treasury Department do not recommend that people rely on counterfeit pens that you often see secretaries or cashiers use at stores. These pens are only effective when the bill is printed on another type of money-printing paper (a reaction to paper starch). As such, the pen will also detect or distinguish an amount of counterfeit money, but it cannot detect more sophisticated counterfeit details and will likely make false statements about the laundered real money.
• Real money has a very vivid portrait and stands out on the bill. Portraits on counterfeit money are often not vivid and not prominent. Details that fit into the background of a counterfeit note are often too dark or speckled.
• As explained in the steps above, $ 1 and $ 2 bills generally have less protective properties than other denominations. This rarely becomes a problem because counterfeit money makers rarely try to produce these low denominations.
• There is a very misconception that if the money ink gets smudged when you rub the bill on the surface of something it is not real money. This is not true because the ink is not smudged does not mean the bill is real.
• The ink used to print US dollars is magnetic, but it is not a method of identifying counterfeit money either. Its durability is extremely low and is only useful when you withdraw money at automatic teller counters. If you have a small magnet like a neodymium magnet, it can attract a real bill. Even if you can't pull it off the table, you can be sure it's real money.
• The thin lines surrounding the real money note are usually very clear and unbroken. On counterfeit notes, the edges on the edges are often blurred and unclear.
• Find differences, don't look for similarities. On a counterfeit note, if all details are fine and true, find out if there is at least one difference that you discover, it could be counterfeit.
• In 2008, the 5-dollar bill was redesigned with an imprinted portrait replaced with a "5" number and a safety strip was moved from the left side of the portrait to the right.
• On a new $ 100 bill, you'll see the phrase "The United States of America" ​​in a microprint on the jacket of a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. This detail is difficult to do unless it is done by the US Mint.
• Starting with the 2004 serial numbers, the $ 10, 20, and 50 note has been redesigned with more overall changes, and most obviously more colors (see picture of the 50 note). dollars above to see). The most important security feature is the addition of the EURion constellation, a very different arrangement of symbols (and in this case numbers). This makes it difficult for anyone who wants to print counterfeit money with a color copier.
• The ink will float and the paper will fade as you let water soak into the counterfeit note and scrub it with your finger. This counterfeit bill cannot be transferred anywhere, and for real money there will be no damage to the water.
• Submerged technology uses metal sheets. When printing, toner becomes deposited in ditch areas and a smooth surface is cleaned. The metal sheet, when it comes into contact with the damp paper, is passed through a coil under pressure. This paper is rolled into the depression to receive the ink. Therefore, large-scale commercial imprinting is almost exclusively used for paper money printing.

Warning

• If you are still unsure of your situation, contact an attorney for clarification.
• Possessing, manufacturing, using or attempting to use counterfeit money is illegal under Federal Law. If a Court prosecutor can prove that you are attempting to defraud, or use counterfeit money, you could face up to 20 years in prison. Contact an attorney for evidence or evidence that indirectly indicates you may be committing fraud.
• Different states also have laws against counterfeiting. If you knowingly circulate counterfeit money, you could be charged with forgery, fraud or other legal troubles.