5 Easy Ways To Detect Fake Naira Notes – Fraudsters are increasingly producing and utilizing counterfeit Naira notes as payment options. And these counterfeit notes have cost merchants a lot of money because they carry the complete loss. Counterfeit is a major issue, and everyone should exercise caution.
Also, counterfeits are not only printed in huge quantities like N1000, but also in smaller denominations like N100, N200, and so on. In this article, I’ll show you how to spot fake Naira notes, using all the available detecting tactics.
Ways To Detect Fake Naira Notes
As counterfeiting tactics improve, so do methods of detecting counterfeits. To help you guard against scam, here are the five easy ways you can detect fake naira notes if by any chance you are given such notes:
1. Texture
Touch and visibility are two identifying characteristics of genuine and counterfeit notes. If the texture of the naira note is soft and the image is dull, it is most likely a forgery. This means that when you are participating in any transaction, you should be sensitive to the touch of the money you are given.
2. Check The Ribbon/Thread
On all Naira notes, there is a security thread that looks like a ribbon and runs from top to bottom. This thread can be felt with a touch in the real notes. It is more pronounced on older Naira notes. However, there is something that appears to be the thread but is not. What is present in the counterfeit notes is simply a straight-line drawing that resembles the thread in the authentic notes. Scratches on the painting will easily peel it off.
3. Gold Foil
The right side of the N1,000 note includes gold foil near the CBN Governor’s signature. The gold foil on a false note peels off instantaneously when scratched, whereas the gold foil on a genuine note does not peel.
4. Water Or Another Liquid Substance
Water or another liquid substance can also be used to distinguish false cash from genuine currency. The colors used in the printing of counterfeit notes are claimed to be soluble in water and some other liquids. If you are unsure about the authenticity of a Naira note, carefully clean it in water or petrol. If it’s phony money, the colors will change instantly. The colors of counterfeit money will wash off when soaked in water or any liquid, but the colors of real money will not.
5. Mercury Bulbs
Some characteristics of the paper Naira notes are not visible with the naked eye. These features are only seen in original Naira notes and can only be seen with the aid of mercury lights. For example, if a genuine N1,000 note is exposed to the rays of a mercury bulb, it will reveal a glowing 1000 (in numbers) printed across the note. The same is true for smaller denominations.
Final Thoughts
The Naira notes are similarly resistant to photocopying. There are some features that are visible under ultraviolet light, such as the serial number on each bank note, which is black but turns green when exposed to ultraviolet light.
