How to Detect Counterfeit U.S. Dollars
Getting stuck with counterfeit money is not fun, to say the least. It happens more often than you think, but when it happens to you, it is exceptionally disappointing. There are, however, a few tricks to detecting counterfeit dollar bills you can use to protect yourself.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Purchase a counterfeit dollar detector pen. These are readily available via the Internet. It is the type cashiers use in most major retailers.
-
2
Inspect the bill's paper. The quality of the paper and other materials used to make the U.S. dollar is top notch. You may have noticed that if you have ever mistakenly washed money in the washing machine and it came out without a scratch. This is not the case with most foreign currency and counterfeit dollars. The paper quality will be inferior. You should look for tiny red and blue fibers embedded in the dollar bill. You can detect a counterfeit dollar by noticing the red and blue fibers are printed on the surface of the money, as opposed to being embedded in the paper.
-
-
3
Examine the look of the money. The sawtooth points and the portrait on Federal Reserve and Treasury seals are distinct and clear on the real dollar bill, and the lines of the border are sharp and unbroken. The serial number on a real dollar bill is evenly spaced and printed with the same color as the Treasury seal.
-
4
Test the ink it is made with. A real dollar bill has iron particles in the ink. It is possible to attract the dollar bill with a strong magnet.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you believe you have acquired counterfeit dollars, any local bank should be able to verify this for you.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
