Counterfeiting, or the production of fake money, has been a problem virtually since the first currencies appeared in the world. In the ancient world, base metals would be combined with more valuable silver and gold in order to cheat people, or the edges of valuable coins would be shaved off to reclaim some of the precious metal. In the modern world, a host of innovations on the parts of governments have been implemented to try to put a stop to the production and use of fake money, but as quickly as security features are implemented, counterfeiters set to work coming up with ways to circumvent them.

Spotting fake money that is made by a expert counterfeiter can be virtually impossible for the average person. Luckily, the majority of fake money in circulation is of a relatively poor quality, and can be caught by using some of the safeguards implemented by governments. Each government has different security measures in place to help citizens detect fake money. As an example, there are a number of ways to recognize fake US currency.

The United States was historically fairly behind the times in terms of anti-counterfeiting measures, after originally designing a strong currency. Throughout the 1980s, many European countries adopted a slew of anti-counterfeiting devices in their currency, while the United States did not change much. This all began to change in the mid-1990s, as a series of new tactics was unveiled.

Dec 29, 2020 FEEL. The following features are meant to help you feel the difference between a real banknote from a fake one. Security Paper: Money is printed on high-quality textile and feels different from usual paper. Embossed Print: Running your fingers across the bill should help you feel out certain embossed marks or bumps.
How To Identify Counterfeit Confederate Money. A sad reality about Confederate money is that 97% of what is out there is fake. The 3% that is authentic usually isn’t very valuable. The information below is a list of serial numbers of known counterfeit confederate money. This list is very easy to use. Listing of Authentic Confederate Paper Money.

The paper that US currency is printed on is not sold commercially, and the ink is slightly raised on the paper when printed. You can feel the difference between a copy and a real bill because of the slight texture of the authentic. Another area of crisp printing focuses on the actual images on the bill.

In 1996, the $100 US Dollar (USD) bill was the first to be redesigned. In 1997 the $50 USD bill followed suit. Next came the $20 USD bill in 1998, then the $10 USD and $5 USD bills in 2000. In 2003 the $20 USD bill once again changed, in 2004 the $50 USD bill changed again, in 2006 the $10 USD bill changed again, and in 2008 the $5 USD bill changed again. Each of these changes was accompanied not only by superficial changes to the design, but by a host of modern security procedures.

First and foremost, look at the money you’re holding to see if it is crisp and clear, or if it is at all blurred. Modern bills are incredibly sharp, and have a vivid, lifelike depth to them. The portraits should appear clean, the borders should have no smudging, the serial numbers should be evenly spaced, and the seals should have sharp points on the teeth. Next, examine the color of the paper, as real US currency has small threads of red and blue running through the paper, not simply printed on top of the paper.

Another thing you want to check for when looking for fake money is the feel of the currency itself. If you’re not paying attention, you may not notice the difference, but if you focus on it, you can often tell the difference between fake money and real money just by the lesser quality paper, and the lack of slightly raised ink. In fact, the feel is such an excellent way to detect fake money that the government has not changed the feel of the paper, even through all of the other changes, so that the intuitive sense people have from decades of handling bills can still guide them true.

All bills other than the $1 USD and $2 USD bill have a security thread embedded in them, and if you hold one up to the light you can read it. It should say USA, followed by the denomination of the bill, which can help you identify fake money that has had its denomination switched. Each bill also has a watermark on it, with the same face that is on the bill itself. In a black light, bills will also glow a distinctive color: blue for $5 USD bills, orange for $10 USD bills, green for $20 USD bills, yellow for $50 USD bills, and red for $100 USD bills.

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How to tell the difference between real and fake news

News outlets have been fighting a losing battle for some time. The internet changed the way we consume media for good and traditional publishers are still struggling to find a way to monitise their businesses. Paywalls have had little success. And rather than pay for information, people instinctively seek out answers on free platforms.

This has given rise to satirical and sensationalist mastheads generating traffic with controversy or humour – never letting the facts get in the way of a good story. For the first time, fake news could have had a significant outcome in the 2016 American election, and could have a significant impact on global politics. In fact, analysis by Buzzfeed’s Craig Silverman shows that fake news articles outperformed real news on Facebook in the final month leading up to America’s election day. The network’s algorithm amplifies trending news – whether it’s real or fake – and has no journalistic discretion. Facebook has since admitted that it needs to do more to combat false information, but there is little indication of how or when this might occur.

Reading between the lines

Dr Kristy Hess, Senior Lecturer in Communication at Deakin University, has researched the relationship between Facebook and news media and says, ‘Facebook is not held to account the same way that mainstream media is when it comes to upholding and sharing accurate, reliable information.’ The challenge for readers is to interrogate what they’re reading rather than simply believing anything that aligns with their values.

It is unfair to place all blame on social networks, though. Bias creeps into even the most respected mainstream news outlets. ‘This is going to be an increasingly important point of distinction for journalism as we move further into the 21^st century. It’s not just about issues of trust and reliability, it’s about legitimacy,’ Dr Hess points out and adds that individuals can work to develop their own news consumption and analysis skills so that they’re better equipped to make fair assessments of the information they’re provided with. ‘We often develop opinions based on where we stand in the world, our background and life experiences. We must try as a society to listen to alternative views and be open-minded when forming opinions,’ Dr Hess suggests.

'We often develop opinions based on where we stand in the world, our background and life experiences. We must try as a society to listen to alternative views and be open-minded when forming opinions.'

Dr Kristy Hess,
Senior Lecturer in Communication, Deakin University

Checking the source

According to Dr Hess, the rise of fake news only reaffirms the future of reliable journalism. She argues that the next generation of journalists will be ‘the beacons of accurate, reliable information. This is how they will be able to maintain legitimacy in the digital age,’ she explains. Increasingly, as readers become aware of the proliferation of fake news, they will increasingly seek to verify the facts, which is why traditional media outlets with a strong reputation are not yet done for.

However, she adds that Facebook sets a good example in terms of distribution of news and audience engagement. ‘Journalists can learn much from the Facebook model of using their position to help connect people and to help readers make sense of issues or guide them in times of crisis,’ Dr Hess says. Facebook has argued that it is the channel that people access rather than the news creator which is why it ‘distances itself from any ethical responsibility’.

Dr Hess believes many news outlets that drive their audiences to consume news content on Facebook need to rethink their approach if they want to remain economically viable and build loyal audiences. ‘They should be using Facebook purely as a promotional tool and tryin

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