Counterfeit or Stolen Instruments (2024)

FAQs

How do you complete a counterfeit note report? ›

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.)

Possession of a counterfeit item is a type of forgery punishable by up to 3 years in jail. If you violate Penal Code 475 possession of counterfeit items, then you are guilty of forgery, which is punishable by by imprisonment in a county jail for no more than one year if the forged item does not exceed $950.

(1) "Counterfeit" means to manufacture, copy, reproduce, or forge an instrument that purports to be genuine, but is not, because it has been falsely copied, reproduced, forged, manufactured, embossed, encoded, duplicated, or altered.

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.

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.

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.

Whoever, with intent to defraud, falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, or alters any obligation or other security of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

Penalties. Counterfeiting is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for two, three, or four years in State Prison. You would be required to serve 50% of that time. If you are convicted under PC 350, you could be sentenced to 16 months, two or three years in State Prison.

Punishment for federal Counterfeiting can result in felony charges punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a fine up to $250,000. 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!).

If you come across a banknote that you suspect is counterfeit: Handle the suspect banknote as little as possible and store it in an envelope. Note any relevant information, such as how it came into your possession. Report the matter immediately to State or Federal police.

What is an example of a false instrument? ›

Forgery is the act of creating, replicating, or utilizing a “false instrument” with the intention to deceive others. This can involve various documents or items of value, such as passports, signatures, banknotes, artwork, or other valuable objects.

Some common synonyms of counterfeit are fake, fraud, humbug, imposture, and sham. While all these words mean "a thing made to seem other than it is," counterfeit applies especially to the close imitation of something valuable.

Will my bank replace fake money? Banks can, at their discretion, replace fake money received by their customers, but they are unlikely to do so. It makes little difference where the counterfeit came from — a store, an individual, or an ATM. In most cases, you'll end up writing off the loss.

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.

Many modern ATMs are equipped with sophisticated counterfeit detection technology, including ultraviolet light, magnetic ink sensors, infrared sensors, and image recognition software.

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.

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.

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.

A Counterfeit Note detected in the cash received by the bank branch/Treasury, across the counter shall be impounded in the presence of the tenderer, in the manner detailed in para 2 above. It shall be forwarded to local police authorities for investigation by filing the FIR (Annex II).