Not quite a criminal mastermind

[Halo_miles]

Customer should have just worn a neon sign that said, "I HAVE COUNTERFEIT MONEY". Seriously?

[pzychobitch]

Customer should have just worn a neon sign that said, "I HAVE COUNTERFEIT MONEY". Seriously?

Lol seriously. Most cashiers/people that handle regular money can smell a fake from a mile away.

[fireheart]

I'm sure that somewhere there's an official guide to identifying counterfeit money. Indeed, there's probably one for each first-world nation's money.

Down here, yes and no. Australian money is polymer, coloured and also comes in different sizes, so you can't pass off a $5 as a $50.

That said, there are people who do try and pass off counterfeits (commonly $50's, not $100's for some reason). The usual tests I got taught were:

-Scrunch it up, real notes "bounce" back into their original shape.

-Try and tear it. Real notes don't tear.

-Hold it up to the light to check the window, the monetary value is present in the window (more with the $50's and the $20's)

-Look very closely at the microprinting. All the notes have their monetary amount on them in microprinting somewhere, except for the $10 note down here which has two poems printed on it.

For the incredibly old/sweaty notes, I do both the scrunch and the tear test. If it's scrunched up when I get it, I flatten it out, then "re scrunch" it or I try and tear it. If it's torn, I tend to tear it elsewhere or perform the scrunch test.

ETA: There is also a code which jams up photocopiers when you try and use it. Unfortunately it's only on our commemorative $5 notes.

[SongsOfDragons]

ETA: There is also a code which jams up photocopiers when you try and use it. Unfortunately it's only on our commemorative $5 notes.

We have this code on all our notes in the UK. It's a pattern of five dots arranged like a wonky quincunx and hidden as flowers or stars or suchlike. This code will lock up... most modern photocopiers and scanners.

[XCashier]

I'm sure that somewhere there's an official guide to identifying counterfeit money. Indeed, there's probably one for each first-world nation's money.

Here's the best place for United States currency: US Secret Service: Know Your Money.

(I've posted that link on CS so many times, I should have it memorized...)

[EricKei]

That said, there are people who do try and pass off counterfeits (commonly $50's, not $100's for some reason).

It's my understanding that, at least in the US, the fiver is the most commonly-counterfeited bill. Why? Simple. NOBODY checks them.

[fireheart]

We have this code on all our notes in the UK. It's a pattern of five dots arranged like a wonky quincunx and hidden as flowers or stars or suchlike. This code will lock up... most modern photocopiers and scanners.

This is what I was referring to.

[wolfie]

There is also a code which jams up photocopiers when you try and use it. Unfortunately it's only on our commemorative $5 notes.

We have this code on all our notes in the UK. It's a pattern of five dots arranged like a wonky quincunx and hidden as flowers or stars or suchlike. This code will lock up... most modern photocopiers and scanners.

How long before some shady company starts putting these codes on documents you need to sign and return, in order to keep people from keeping copies of the documents for their own records?

[Gizmo]

How long before some shady company starts putting these codes on documents you need to sign and return, in order to keep people from keeping copies of the documents for their own records?

Nice idea! (Depending on use)

The driving licenses in the UK have a sub layer of ink already that means if you colour photocopy it (I'm not sure with a scanner though) the repeated "DVLA" (or whatever it says) doesn't appear on the copy but "FAKE" does.

I did have a project at work once to help the bosses record a training video that meant we needed large stacks of cash around. Tried to copy them on the photocopier and they ended up missing strips so you couldn't possibly mistake it for a proper note. I never knew how it did it (until now), just that it was a copy protection system.

[Halo_miles]

Lol seriously. Most cashiers/people that handle regular money can smell a fake from a mile away.

Ours can't. I think myself and my two bosses are the only ones capable of spotting a fake. Obviously, with Canada's new polymer bills (I hate those bills), faking is getting a little more difficult. However, US bills can sometimes be a little tricky, especially the one dollar bills. I've had a few fakes show up in my till.

[SongsOfDragons]

This is what I was referring to.

Thaaaaat's the one. The wonky quincunx.

How long before some shady company starts putting these codes on documents you need to sign and return, in order to keep people from keeping copies of the documents for their own records?

Are you taking bets?

[smileyeagle1021]

Down here, yes and no. Australian money is polymer, coloured and also comes in different sizes, so you can't pass off a $5 as a $50.

This has been my biggest complaint about US currency, like I've contacted my representatives about it multiple times now complaint (yeah, they think I'm nuts).

Having all bills the same size is just asking for trouble, not just from a counterfitting standpoint (bleachings ones to be tens or hundreds or fives to be fifties as examples), but from an accessability stand point. How exactly is someone who is visually impaired supposed to know how much money they are handing someone? Are they really supposed to just take it on good faith that the person they are doing business with isn't going to screw them?