FAQs
Visit the Secret Service website to complete a Counterfeit Note Report or contact your local U.S. Secret Service field office. (Note: You must send the Counterfeit Note Report to your local U.S. Secret Service field office. Visit the U.S. Secret Service website for more information.)
How to tell if a $1000 dollar bill is real? ›
Check the watermark.
Hold the bill up to the light and look for a watermark. Newer bills should have faces. Older bills may just have what looks like a faded spot. If there is no watermark or if the watermark “face” does not match the “face” on the bill, then it is probably counterfeit.
How to tell if a $20 bill is counterfeit? ›
It only takes a few seconds to check the security features of the $20 note. To know it's real, just feel the paper, tilt the note, and check with light. Hold the note to light to see a faint image of Andrew Jackson to the right of the portrait. The watermark is visible from both sides of the note.
What is the sentence for passing counterfeit money? ›
The anti-counterfeiting laws passed by Congress state that whoever, with intent to defraud, falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, or alters any obligation or security of the United States can be imprisoned for up to 20 years.
What color does a $100 bill turn if it's fake? ›
In addition, a way to verify a legitimate bill is to double check the 100 in the corner of the bill. The color change of copper/green to black on the 100 in the lower right corner will help you verify an authentic $100 bill.
What happens if you use counterfeit money without knowing? ›
Key Takeaways: Making or using fake money is a serious crime that can get you up to 20 years in jail. Both federal and state laws punish counterfeiting, and fines can be very high. You must know the money is fake to be guilty; if it's an accident, you might not be charged.
What is the most counterfeited U.S. bill? ›
The $20 bill is the most commonly counterfeited banknote in the U.S., while overseas counterfeiters are more likely to make fake $100 bills.
How to tell if a $100 bill is real or fake? ›
Hold the note to light to see an embedded thread running vertically to the left of the portrait. The thread is imprinted with the letters USA and the numeral 100 in an alternating pattern and is visible from both sides of the note. The thread glows pink when illuminated by ultraviolet light.
How to check counterfeit money with a pen? ›
So iodine plus starch equals a brown mark on regular paper, but currency paper isn't regular paper. It's actually a mix of fabric fibers and contains no starch. So when you run the pen over a real bill, there's no color change because there's no starch. Iodine's color change depends on what it is dissolved in.
Is passing a counterfeit $20 bill a felony? ›
A judge will determine your sentence based on your conduct, criminal history, and whether restitution needs to be ordered to any victim (and how much, if any!). Possessing or passing counterfeit bills is a serious offense. Federal law in this area can be charged as a felony and the punishment can be incredibly harsh.
Authentic currency often includes embedded threads, iridescent color-changing inks, watermarks, and holograms. Here's how to check these features: Embedded Thread: Hold the bill up to a light source and look for a dark, solid line that runs vertically through the bill.
What will reveal counterfeit money? ›
Examine the serial numbers.
Make sure that the serial numbers on a bill match, and look at them carefully. Fake bills may have serial numbers that are not evenly spaced or that are not perfectly aligned in a row. If you received multiple suspicious bills, see if the serial numbers are the same on both bills.
What if I accidentally took counterfeit money at work? ›
It's crucial to report any instance of receiving fake money to the authorities immediately, as using or knowingly passing counterfeit currency is illegal and can result in legal penalties.
Who was the best money counterfeiter? ›
Frank Bourassa had printed off $250m (£194m) in forged American bank notes before the Secret Service finally caught up with him. Most people have at some point considered a change of career.
What to do with a fake $100 bill? ›
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.
How do I report counterfeit cash? ›
Reporting Suspected Counterfeit Currency
If you are an individual, submit suspected counterfeit currency to your local police department. Police departments, banks, and cash processors will submit suspected counterfeit currency to the Secret Service.
How to report counterfeit? ›
To help fight counterfeit goods and protect others: Report the counterfeit at http://www.iprcenter.gov/referral. To report an unsafe consumer product, visit http://www.SaferProducts.gov. For further information, consult http://www.stopfakes.gov.
What are the steps involved in detection of counterfeit document? ›
Analytical methods to detect counterfeits includes using a microscope and alternate light sources to observe printing processes, microprinting, laminates, substrates, and security fibers. Chemical and additional instrumental processes can be used as well.
Will banks exchange counterfeit money? ›
Banks are required to confiscate the counterfeit money and turn it over to the Secret Service, which investigates and takes the counterfeit bills out of circulation.
