This guide, published in 2021, is a training resource for tellers (and other professionals) who need to learn how to authenticate Federal Reserve notes. The ...

According to the United States Department of Treasury, an estimated $70 million in counterfeit bills are in circulation, or approximately 1 note in counterfeits ...

Security Thread All genuine FRNs, except the $1 and $2, have a clear thread embedded vertically in the paper. The thread is inscribed with the denomination ...

Portraits in fake bills may appear dull, blurred, and flat, while in real currency, the portraits are sharp and contain very fine detailing. Look for colored ...

Apr 9, 2025 — A counterfeit note cannot be exchanged for a genuine one, and it is illegal to knowingly pass counterfeit currency. If you live in the United ...

Here are a few tips to help you spot the fakes. Find the watermark. On new $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills, the watermark is a replica of the portrait and is ...

Nov 13, 2025 — Purchasing counterfeit goods is illegal and transporting those goods into and throughout the U.S. may result in civil or criminal penalties. It ...

Mar 1, 2023 — The US Secret Service is the agency responsible for investigating counterfeit currency. The US Secret Service's website has some things you can look for.

Security Thread All genuine FRNs, except the $1 and $2, have a clear thread embedded vertically in the paper. The thread is inscribed with the denomination ...

Mar 11, 2024 — Below are tips provided by a police chief in Wisconsin. Check for color shifting ink. Hold the bill up in the light and rotate it back and forth.

This 12-page booklet contains detailed information about the security and design features in the redesigned $100 note and those in the current-design $5, $10, ...

Jul 15, 2025 — 1. Hold the bill up to the light. For all bills except $1 and $2 dollar bills, there should be a security thread (plastic strip) running from top to bottom.

If you are an individual, submit suspected counterfeit currency to your local police department. Your local bank may also assist in identifying counterfeit ...

They have a strip in them that tells you the denomination and they also have a watermark of the person on the bill that's visible when you hold ...

Though counterfeit money is rare, knowing how to spot it can save you personal embarrassment and trouble with the law (a $5,000 fine and up to 15 years in ...

Here are some signs that can tell you if a bill is the real thing: A hologram of the face image on the bill.

Report Counterfeit Currency. Report suspected counterfeit notes to your local police department or the local U.S. Secret Service office. UScurrency.gov.

by R Judson · 2025 — This paper assembles data from Federal Reserve and USSS sources and presents a range of estimates for the number of counterfeits in circulation in the Unite

If you or your business receive a bill that you suspect is counterfeit, call the police or report it to the Secret Service through the U.S. Dollars website.