Not only do you have to be wary of customers trying to pass off phony currency you have to make sure your employees are using a proper counterfeit detecting marker as well.

Raleigh, N.C. — A former Kangaroo gas station employee faces charges of conspiracy after police said he accepted 20 counterfeit bills.

Police
said on Aug. 19, Timothy White, 19, of 315 Wrenn Street in Apex,
accepted the $100 bills and pretended to use a counterfeit marking pen
when he checked the bills, according to a warrant released by the
Raleigh Police Department.

White is accused of conspiring with unknown persons to commit the felony of obtaining property by false pretense.

In
Columbia, counterfeit money is on the rise. Over the past two weeks,
police discovered more than 20 cases of fake money. The bills are
mainly showing up at local businesses. Police want workers to be sure
and check any money received carefully by using a specially-designed
marker. They’re asking people to be careful and don’t accept money from
strangers. The bills currently circulating are hundreds, twenties,
fifties and tens. Investigators said they’re pursuing a number of leads
at this time.

Most people wouldn’t think counterfeiting is a big problem but these individuals would be wrong. On average, $40 million dollars in counterfeit currency is circulated annually in the United States alone. Although this is roughly only 1% of overall currency circulation, counterfeit money poses a great threat to commerce as well as small and large businesses.

Many victims find themselves out money that can not be replaced, which, once again, can hurt everyone, even consumers. Although the government has allowed watermarks and UV security strips to be introduced to cut down on incidences of counterfeiting, an elite few still manage to print and circulate fake bills.

When we add the fact that current technology exists to make counterfeiting even easier, this makes the potential threat to out nation’s economy even greater. All is not lost however, as we can use technology to our advantage in our fight against the proliferation of counterfeit green.

UV Machines and Counterfeit Detection

The most common form of counterfeit money detection is done via the use of UV machines. Some come in consumer grade hand held varieties as small as a pen. Others are found in money counting machines that are utilized by numerous businesses.

Both consumer and business grade UV devices have a backlight that can reveal the security strip that is currently placed in all US money. It also works by detecting the difference between wood-based paper and the fiber-based paper that real money is printed on. UV detection works especially well with crude counterfeiters who simply photocopy the bills onto regular paper or use fake watermarks or symbols.

UV money counters even sound an alarm when such money is found alerting individuals to the bill’s existence.

UV Detection Versus Counterfeit Money detectors

While a UV counterfeit detection light looks for imperfection in the inking, watermarks, or paper grades, other machines, like magnetic or MG detection devices can find magnetic properties that only exist in legitimate dollar bills. In other words, if the bill is lacking these elements, it is very much a fake.

Is one method better than the other?

Not exactly, in fact, some money counting machines may combine both UV and MG counterfeit detection technology. If an individual were going to make a choice, it would be purely based on preference as both appear to be able to detect fake bills reliably.

Other methods

Chemical detection pens, or CD’s, are pens made with a patented formula that can test the authenticity of currency paper. Because most real dollar bills are made with a pulpy fiber, the pen can detect those fibers on contact. To use properly, all one would have to do is to make a mark on the bill in question. A light or clear mark will indicate the dollar is genuine. If the mark turns dark or gray, then there is a very good chance it is counterfeit.

Another common method of counterfeit money detection is the use of the Color Shifting Reflector. This particular device will allow you to see if the ink on the lower right hand corner of the front of the bill. The metal reflector will show a change of color depending on the viewing angle. The color may change from green to black or from black to green. Legitimate money has this color element and can be seen by the naked eye too.

Again, some bill counters will have a couple or all of these detection items within them. Of course, the good old fashioned hands on method of touch and feel are still a good way to separate fakes from the real thing. Still, if a company or even an individual wants to keep on the lookout for bogus dollar bills, it would certainly be to their advantage to look into the various counterfeit money detectors on the market today.

Counterfeit money detectors are fantastic tools in saving businesses money by verifying the authenticity of paper money. It is true that there have been certain precautions taken by the government to deter counterfeiters from counterfeiting money, but these individuals still find ways to copy money. It is inevitable that it is always just a matter of time after a change has been implemented that these criminals will figure out a way to deceive store clerks, banks, and others in situations in which money changes hands. As soon as counterfeit activity begins rising again, the government must figure out a new way to deter these individuals from copying money.

The counterfeit money detectors works on both old and new paper currency. Store clerks and other individuals use these to ensure that the money they are receiving is not counterfeit. It is ideal that these individuals check every single bill that comes their way even if they believe it looks real. Unfortunately, there is the occasional counterfeit bill that does seep through the cracks, but with the implementation of counterfeit money detectors, fewer counterfeiters are getting by with circulating their fake cash.

How detectors work

When a store clerk or another individual receives money, they simply take this counterfeit money detector pen and they make a mark across the front of the bill. They will admit that this pen does not smell nice, but that is because it consists of a special ink that isn’t like your normal pen or marker, but it certainly doesn’t behave that way. If you try to write on paper with one, the ink will go on clear and then it will turn black. This is what it does on a counterfeit bill.

If you make a mark on a counterfeit bill, the color of the ink will turn to a grayish color, a dark brown, or even a black. It depends on the type of paper that was used to make the bill. Counterfeiters try to use paper that feels as close to the real thing as possible. As soon as the individual checking the bill sees this dark mark, they know that they have to call the authorities as soon as possible. They do not give the money back to the individual who gave it to them. The police then come and they learn about where the bill came from and will ask a series of questions. Counterfeiting money is a serious offense and they are dedicated to finding out where it came from.

When a bill is not counterfeit, the marker will either leave a clear, yellow, or light brown mark on the paper. The bills that are most likely to be checked are bills of $10 or more. Now more and more individuals are checking bills that are $5 and above because counterfeiters began copying smaller bills. It is very unlikely that a dollar will be copied because the cost to counterfeit it is more than what it is worth. That is why the United States government has left the dollar unchanged, unlike all of the other bills above it.

So if you own a business or you are going to be accepting cash for something, having a counterfeit money detector is probably in your best interest. By every business and every individual using these pens, counterfeiters can be shut down and the government will not have to keep implementing new security features into money so often. That would relieve a lot of confusion amongst the citizens who have to continuously get used to new designs.

Have you ever thought you received counterfeit money? Perhaps you have received it before and you weren’t sure who to contact. If that has ever happened to you or you are afraid of it happening to you, you can now rest assured that you’ll know what to do if it does. Counterfeiting money is such a problem that currency seems to be constantly changing to deter counterfeiters. However, it seems that counterfeiters find out a way to duplicate currency soon after new “counterfeit proof” methods are developed. Just because a new look comes out doesn’t mean it is impossible to receive a counterfeit bill.

On the retail side

If you work in a retail establishment and a customer hands you a counterfeit bill, don’t return it to them. You want to contact a supervisor as soon as possible so that the supervisor can assess the situation and verify that the money is counterfeit. Retail establishments usually have special counterfeit detector pens that are used to mark money to ensure that it is real. The pen leaves either a clear to light brown mark on the currency if it is real. If it is fake then the mark may show up as extremely dark brown or black.

After the supervisor determines that the money is fake, the supervisor will then take the money away and will contact the police. The police will arrive and do what they are trained to do to confirm that the money isn’t real. They will then take care of matters from there by filling out a report and taking the fake money as evidence.

On the consumer side

Consumers have also been known to receive counterfeit money from banks and retail establishments. You may even receive a counterfeit bill at a yard sale. Anywhere money changes hands holds the potential for counterfeit money. If you find that you have received a counterfeit bill, don’t give it back to the person that gave it to you. Call the police immediately. If you give it back, then you are running the risk of the money ending up back into the currency pool. This could eventually get someone into trouble, but calling the police immediately will keep anyone from getting into any type of trouble. They will assess it, determine it to be fake, and they will then take it with them to bag as evidence.

Identification

Money has very distinguished markings. In the case of the U.S. dollar, there is a small plastic strip that is inserted into the bill. It is on your left side when looking at it. You can also look for watermarks or even invest in one of those detection pens so that you can check your money to ensure none of it is fake. You can also look at it to see some of the tiny little fibers in the paper. They are usually red and blue. The paper also has a certain texture to it.

If you notice that the texture seems off, fibers are missing, the watermarks are not watermarks at all, or the plastic strip is missing, call the police. Even if the plastic strip is missing, check all of the other features. Sometimes children get a hold of money and remove the strips, but this can usually be determined by seeing a slight tear where the strip would normally be. By looking at these things, you are able to determine whether or not you have actual counterfeit money in your hand and, if you do, you now know what you have to do to get the problem taken care of.

Different Types of Counterfeit Money Detectors

Counterfeit dollar bills of any denomination may go unperceived at a glance. While many rarely give a second thought to the negative effects that counterfeit money has on society, there are several different reasons to fight this growing phenomenon. Some of these reasons include:

· Businesses are not reimbursed for counterfeit monies received, causing prices to go up for all consumers

· Decreased value of authentic bills of any denomination

· Inflation, or increase in prices may occur due to the unauthorized and artificial money supply growth

Unfortunately, developments in photocopying and computer technology have made the illegal reproduction of currency bills easier than ever. Because of this, it is important to play close attention to the money you handle in order to ward off any counterfeits. Whether at a bank, retail business, or even at home, a counterfeit bill detection device may be worthwhile if you handle large numbers of dollar bills. There are several different types of counterfeit money detection devices. The most common devices are described below.

Counterfeit Detector Pen

People who use color copiers and color printers for counterfeiting purposes attempt to create merely passable reproductions of paper money bills. These counterfeiters are not particularly cautious or accurate, so they copy or print onto normal, wood-based paper. Authentic bills are printed on special, fiber-based paper.

The counterfeit detector pen is a simple but effective concept. It utilizes an iodine solution that in turn reacts with the starch contained in wood-based paper. The result of the reaction between the iodine solution and wood-based paper creates an unmistakable black stain. When the solution contained in the pen is applied to the fiber-based paper used in authentic bills, no discoloration or reaction occurs. The pen does nothing but detect bills printed on normal copier paper instead of the fine papers used by the U.S. Treasury. Though simple, the counterfeit detector pen can be effective in detecting real-looking currency bills that are actually printed on regular paper.

UV Counterfeit Detection Machines

Banknotes that are created by a color copy machine or printer produce a superficial image that merely rests on the surface of paper. Because of this, the artificial image of the bill can easily be detected when an Ultra Violet light is placed over it. In addition, tiny particles of printer toner outside the image, also known as bleed can be easily seen with a UV light. Many bill counters have a UV light built into the machine. The UV counterfeit detection method is very effective, since it does not allow for human error. If a counterfeit banknote is run through the UV machine, an alarm or light will alert you that the bill is counterfeit.

More Counterfeit Detection Methods

Other types of counterfeit detection methods include:

Magnetic Detection or MG detection

- MG detectors detect the magnetic components found only in real bills. When the magnetic components are not present – the bill may be fake.

Magnifying Detection

- By being familiar with the different types of bills you deal with, you can use a magnifier to look for the special marks, symbols found only on authentic bills. This is a manual process.

Watermark Detection

- Watermarks are marks that are embossed into U.S. and foreign currencies. These watermarks can be easily seen when the bill is held up to fluorescent light. Watermarks are difficult to reproduce and when false, are easily detectable.

Lighted Reflection

- Some bills have a metallic, color changing emblem stamped onto the bill. For example, the U.S $100 bill has a stamp in the lower right hand corner that changes from black to green. This is easily detected by the naked eye.

Different countries have different legal punishments for those producing counterfeit money and the punishments are quite tough. The reason why the punishments are harsh is because counterfeit money reduces the value of actual money and causes inflation due to the increase of money being circulated throughout the economy. What this is is an artificial increase in the amount of money in the money supply that is not authorized. This severely devalues the currency and results in losses that can amount to millions of dollars each year.

The impact is so severe that, unfortunately, the companies that receive counterfeit money are not reimbursed for the fake bills, which force them to raise their prices on their products. Even in countries where their paper money makes up just a fraction of their total circulation of money, the effects of the counterfeiting may be minimal. However, the confidence in their currency may decrease significantly.

Beginning in 1996, the United States began making changes in the design of the $100 bill to keep it from being counterfeited. Other bills followed suit for 10 years after the initial change. The changes occurred as follows:

• 1997 the $50 bill
• 1998 the $20 bill
• 2000 the $10 and the $5 bill
• 2003 the $20 bill

However in 2004, the $50 bill had to be redesigned again as did the $10 bill in 2006. Fortunately, the $1 and $2 bills are seen to be not worth it for counterfeiters due to their low value although it is not out of the question for one of these bills to be reproduced.

Penalties by country

Every country has its own set of penalties for counterfeiters. Some just have to pay fines, some just serve time in jail, and then there are those who must serve time in jail in addition to paying fines for their crime. In the United States, counterfeiting is a federal felony that involves the Secret Service. When found guilty of this crime, the penalty is 15 years in prison as well as seizure of the property that was used in the creation of the counterfeit bills. Restitution will most likely have to be paid on top of a number of fines.

Another country that imposes a 15 year sentence is South Africa. They too have absolutely no tolerance for counterfeiters and will place them in prison in a heartbeat because of the adverse effects counterfeiting has on the economy.

As for Europe’s punishment for counterfeiting the Euro, offenders risk four years in jail and fines that could equal up to $120,000. If the crime is an organized crime, then the fines can be up to $360,000. This penalty seems considerably less than that of the United States and South Africa, but the fines may be considered punishment enough although the fines in the United States are determined based on severity of the crime.

In Canada, if someone is simply found holding a counterfeit bill, the penalty is up to 14 years in prison. Australia has a penalty of $5,000 for individuals, $10,000 for corporations and up to 2 years in prison in addition to the fines.

Counterfeiting bills poses a problem all over the world and it is worse in some places than others. It should be known that the bills can be traced to their maker and, once caught, those who produced the bills face severe punishment. It is common for the offenders to think they will never be punished for their crime, but there are ways in which they can and will be tracked down and made to pay for these crimes they commit against the economies of the world.

Anyone can receive counterfeit money no matter where they are. You can go to the bank and get that one $100 bill that was not checked when it was received by the bank. You then go to the grocery store and pay with that $100 bill when the cashier checks it was a special pen that indicates the bill is counterfeit. The cashier is silent and goes to her manager to show them the bill. All the while, you are standing at the checkout confused as to what is going on until the manager comes back to tell you that they must confiscate the $100 bill because it is counterfeit. They have already notified the authorities so the situation can be investigated. Now you are stuck with a cart full of groceries and you must wait for the police in order to tell them how you received the bill.

This is a situation that may be somewhat unusual, but some have experienced. They have been at no fault regarding the possession of a counterfeit bill because, if not checked properly, they can be distributed by banks, stores, and other venues in which money changes hands.

But what if you were on vacation and this happened? First of all, you’re not from the area and you just handed off a counterfeit bill. That makes you look quite suspicious and, unfortunately, can get you into serious trouble and ruin your entire vacation. That is why it is important to take certain precautions.

Precautions to take

One can never be too careful when traveling with cash. If at all possible, one might prefer to use traveler’s cheques or use a debit card or credit card. These items can be reported if missing, whereas cash cannot be replaced. Traveler’s cheques can be replaced if missing so your trip isn’t completely ruined. However, if you must carry cash, there are ways to protect yourself against receiving counterfeit money.

Depending on where you are in the world is going to determine what tools you need, but using items such as:

• A counterfeit pen detector can keep you receiving a counterfeit bill. Simply keep one in your purse or pocket to immediately mark the bill. The mark should show up clear if the bill is real and the mark will show up as dark if it is counterfeit. Although many retailers use these pens, cashiers can get into a huge hurry and forget to mark them.

• UV detectors can also protect you. These devices can come as pens or key chains that you can shine on the bill to make sure the security thread is inside the bill and that the denomination of the bill is printed on it. UV devices that work on U.S. bills also work on Canadian bills. When shined on a Canadian bill, the coat of arms along with the words FIVE CINQ and BANK OF CANADA BANQUE DU CANADA appear over the portrait in blue. The UV light will also pick up the red fibers on the bill.

It is also good to know about the different types of security used on the printing of bills even if you are visiting a foreign country and cannot find a counterfeit detection device for that particular currency. By doing this, you can immediately spot a counterfeit bill and call the authorities or return it as soon as you receive it and let them know that it is counterfeit. This can keep you out of trouble for circulating counterfeit money, especially when you are away from home and trying to enjoy yourself. This can also prevent the money from ending up in someone else’s hands.

Counterfeit money actually has a very long history, which means the concept is not really all that new. Currency has been around for a long time and with currency comes greed. They say that money is the root of all evil and counterfeiting is definitely not an exception. It involves creating artificial money for financial gain and deceives others in making them believe that it is real. It contributes to inflation that hurts the pocket books of people all over the world, it damages economies, and it hurts the reputations of the central banks of countries that are innocent because they are not the ones creating the fake cash. That is why governments impose harsh penalties against those caught making fake money.

But exactly how long has counterfeiting money been around? Well, it is true to say that it has been around about as long as money has been around. But how long has legitimate money been around? Well, it has been around approximately 2,700 years. Before that, our ancestors were trading sheep and cattle to get what they needed. They worked to acquire the things they had, but money was not their compensation. Their compensation was things needed in everyday living. The introduction of money changed everything, including how honestly some people made their living. Money became the way in which people acquired things, therefore things such as poverty worsened.

History

It was approximately 700 B.C. that real currency made its debut in the form of coins. It was within a hundred years of coins being introduced as currency that counterfeiting began. With it, the punishments began as well. Many cultures imposed death upon those caught counterfeiting coins. The practice wasn’t very difficult since the fake coins could very easily be made of metals that held no value, but looked like the real thing.

But it was in 1650 A.D. that paper money was developed and counterfeiting flourished, especially within America where counterfeit money was more common than genuine money. Counterfeiters had become so skilled that when the first federal coins were issued by the U.S. government in the 1780’s, they had the dies cut by an ex-counterfeiter in order to deter the practice, but it was during the Civil War that counterfeiting flourished once more because the United States government issued paper money for the first time.

As a result of this counterfeiting, the Secret Service was developed just to enforce the counterfeiting laws. Their job was to find the counterfeiters before the money ever made it into the money supply. Eventually, the Secret Service’s operations expanded to include the protection of the president, which is on a completely different spectrum from deterring counterfeiting, which was an operation conducted by the Treasury.

However, it was the late twentieth century that brought about machinery such as color copiers and other counterfeit detection devices that made counterfeiting easier. It is estimated that nearly $10 billion in counterfeit bills were circulated between 1990 and 1995. That is why the United States began making changes to their bills in 1996, beginning with the $100 bill. The United States Treasury believes that the new designs on the bills make counterfeiting almost impossible, but with each change it is just a matter of time before counterfeiters find new ways to duplicate the bills.

That is why the governments all over the world are imposing harsher penalties such as 15 years in prison on top of fines and restitution for the damage caused. They have also developed advanced methods to track down those creating counterfeit bills. In the end, the counterfeiters must know that they will get caught.