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How can you tell if a banknote is real or counterfeit?

We would like to give you a few recommendations on how you can tell if your banknotes are real or counterfeit.
For the general public, we recommend taking the following steps:

• First, look at an authentic banknote thoroughly in order to become familiar with its details as much as possible, especially its design, color, size, and the texture of the paper.
• Know and identify the primary first level security elements of the banknotes. These include those that are seen at first sight or by touch without needing to use another instrument (watermark, security “thread” or strip, main images printed in raised ink, color-shifting ink, and underlying images).
• When you receive a banknote, verify in addition to the denomination, design, color and texture, that it has at least these three elements:
  1. Watermark. When you hold the banknote up to the light, this should be well defined and should correspond clearly to the person (portrait) on the banknote. If there is no watermark or if the image is a crude imitation, this means that it is a counterfeit banknote.
  2. Security thread. When you look at the banknote up to the light, this should be segmented and metallic, and must appear to be a discontinuous metallic line.
  3. Main printed portrait: When you look at it, it should be “lifelike” and stand out against the background, and when you touch it softly you should note that the ink is raised. If this does not happen, the banknote is counterfeit. If you feel a raised effect when you touch it, make sure that this is not the result of needle perforations, since some imitations are made this way.

Note: Never rely on just one or two elements, since the banknote could be a good falsification or imitation.

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