Today’s technology makes it possible for anyone with a good computer, a high-end printer and a simple scanner to jump into the world of counterfeit money production. With counterfeit money making on the rise, it’s more important than ever for business owners to be proactive about counterfeit bill detection and loss prevention.
Recent news headlines from all over the country are buzzing with warnings to businesses about fake money being used. And it’s not just a problem that big cities have to think about. It doesn’t matter where you are, there’s a good chance counterfeit money isn’t too far away. New Orleans to Houston, Abilene, Virginia’s Chesterfield County and Benson, Az. These are just a few of the many recent stories business owners should be paying attention to.
Spotting Counterfeit Money
In retail or restaurant settings, it’s often the cashier or server who will be the first line of defense against your business falling victim to fake currency. It’s vital that they get the proper training in spotting it. Here are just a few things that they should be look at when a customer hands them their money…
Watermark – A subtle “ghost image” that is more visible if the bill is held up to a light source
Color-shifting ink – If the bill is $10 or higher, the bottom right numeral will be made with color-shifting ink. By tilting the bill from side to side, two different, noticeable colors should be visible.
Intaglio printing – Intaglio printing basically engraves the bill with ink-filled ridges and isn’t easy to imitate. This is one of the better ways to determine real currency vs. counterfeit money.
Even the simplest little things can be a dead giveaway, too. For example, the border on the bill. If it’s counterfeit, then the borders may be somewhat blurred. The lines won’t be clearly and distinctly clear. On a real bill, the portrait will be crisp and very 3-D looking with fine details that clearly set it apart from the background. But with counterfeit bills, it may appear more flat and dull, seemingly merging into the background.
The Secret Service website has more information about little details that you might be able to spot.
If you want to take it a step further and add extra layers of security, then you might want to look into specialized equipment like counterfeit money detectors to detect security breaches that simply isn’t visible to the naked eye. Just a few popular choices are:
Microprinting and UV Ink Detection: A UV light or device is necessary to see the UV ink on dollar bills. This is probably better in most situations than having the cashier stand there and inspect each one with a magnifying glass to check the micro-printing. A small discreet UV scanner can also be helpful in quickly identifying fake ID’s too.
Infrared Detection: Dollar bills also have patterns imprinted in them with infrared ink. These patterns are very difficult for someone to remember and identify with the naked eye, but an infrared viewer can quickly identify them (or the lack of them or mistakes in them).
Iron Ink Detection: Yep, US currency includes iron-infused ink. A magnetic ink detector can verify the presence of this quickly and easily.
And don’t think that you have to spend thousands of dollars for this type of specialized equipment. Many of them can be purchased for la couple hundred dollars or less. But remember that it’s an investment in the security of your business and could save thousands of dollars and prevent lots of trouble that you’d suffer if caught up in a counterfeit case. In the end, you and your business will be the one left high and dry when you try to take that money to the bank.
Other Resources:
http://www.bensonnews-sun.com/news/article_c74d3e5e-0d5f-11e5-b306-436db59cc495.html
