This, according to U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Virgil Gus Reichle, is a skill that can be mastered.
In a training held in the Saipan Chamber of Commerce training room for law enforcers and business establishments recently, Reichle said placing the dollar bills under a UV light can help detect whether a bill is counterfeit or genuine.
“Depending on the denomination, the security threads will glow a certain color on 1996 and later series notes when you hold the note under a UV light,” Reichle said.
Knowing where the security threads are located should be the first step, he said.
For $100 bills, the security thread is located between the Federal Reserve seal and portrait, and turns pink or red when placed under a UV light.
In $50 bills, the security thread is located between the portrait and Treasury seal. This turns yellow under the UV light.
In $20 bills, it is located on the left of Federal Reserve seal and turns green under the UV light.
The $10 bill security thread turns orange under the UV light and it is located between the portrait and Treasury seal.
In $5 bills, the security thread is located at the center to left of the Federal Reserve seal, and turns blue when placed under UV light.
“Detection of counterfeit bills is not only applicable for law enforcers and business establishment owners, but for everybody,” Reichle said.
Looking for security threads and watermarks in dollar bills under the UV light is just one way of detecting counterfeit.
He said changes in technology provide easy access to anyone to copy the genuine dollar bills.
“This can fool many people but the genuine bill can never be duplicated,” he added.
Counterfeit bills are being circulated on Saipan, Police Officer 2 Jason T. Tarkong said in an earlier interview.
During the holidays, he added, eight victims filed a formal complaint and one arrest has been made.
