The U. S. Secret Service provides the following poster to help consumers familiarize themselves with the various security and authentication features now in use on U. S. Federal Reserve Notes.
New $100 Bill!!!
Learn how to authenticate the new note bellow.
_Document Source: US Secret Service Web Site (2011) Know your money poster. Retrieved November 12, 2011, from http://www.secretservice.gov/KnowYourMoneyApril08.pdf
_Tips
for Authenticating Money
Check the paper by feeling it,
inspecting it closely and marking it with an authenticator pen.
Money
is printed on paper made from a blend of cotton and linen. The special paper has a distinct feel
compared to common printer and copier paper.
All notes, even the older series, contained blue and red fibers that are
randomly dispersed and embedded in the paper.
Close inspection of a suspicious bill can reveal if the paper is
authentic, but it may not rule out that the bill is counterfeit. Some counterfeiters can raise the value of a
lower denomination bill using the paper as a way of improving the quality of
the higher value bill so as to fool those merchants who are only checking the
feel of the paper or using authenticator pens.
Much
of the money in circulation today (the modern notes) contains watermarks
representing the image of the president associated with that particular denomination. This can prevent counterfeiters from using
the paper from a lesser valued note to print higher value ones since they
cannot alter the watermark without making the note look more suspicious.
Check the watermarks
and security threads
by holding the bill up to a light and using a magnifying glass to examine
details.
Holding
the bill up to a light can reveal two key features of genuine, paper
currency. The watermark should match the
president pictured on the note. In
addition, a narrow strip, called a security thread, should contain the letters
USA and the value of the note printed several times along its length. The position of this strip varies by
denomination as a way of preventing someone from raising the value of the note.
Check for other
indicators
by examining the special inks and micro-printed features. Another
feature of larger notes involves color-shifting ink. The numeric value of the note is printed at
the bottom-right and will change color when tilted in the light. This feature is difficult to reproduce and
will look suspicious if printed with a color copier or printer.
Using
a UV light, one can verify the notes by noticing the color of the security
thread. Each denomination is represented
by a distinct color when view under UV.
Other
measures help make it more difficult to successfully copy notes using a copier
or scanner. These include micro-printed
text, fine-line designs and color shading.
Become familiar with the various features related to specific denominations and series of notes. The U.S. Secret Service provides a wealth of information and detailed images of everything one needs to tells a genuine Federal Reserve note from a fake. Please use the following links to learn more.
What to do if you receive a counterfeit: > Do not return it to the passer. > Delay the passer if possible. > Observe the passer's description, as well as that of any companions, and the license plate numbers of any vehicles used. > Contact your local police department or United States Secret Service field office. > The U. S. Secret Service Field Office in Des Moines is 515 - 284 - 4565. > Write your initials and the date in the white border areas of the suspect note. > Limit the handling of the note. Carefully place it in a protective covering, such as an envelope. > Surrender the note or coin only to a properly identified police officer or a U.S. Secret Service special agent.