If you live or have travelled to Melbourne recently you might want to check your notes. An influx of counterfeit $100 notes have been sent into circulation with many not being able to tell the difference.
The notes look and feel like the real thing with a similar paper and even the small plastic window. The only telling sign is that each note contains the same serial number “13933231”.
The $100 note is not the most commonly faked note. That honour belongs to the $50. According to the banks say that there are 3,656 forged $100 notes in 2016 but there were over 22,000 fake $50 notes.
If you think that you are holding one of the fake notes the Reserve Bank of Australia has a handy guide that gives you all the tips you need to detect fake notes. Including, looking at the star on the note. According to the RBA, “Diamond-shaped patterns are printed inside a circle on both sides of the banknote. If you hold the banknote up to the light, the patterns should line up perfectly to form a seven-pointed star.”
Another big tell that you have a fake note is the plastic window. According to the RBA, “Check that the white image printed on the window cannot be easily rubbed off. Also look for the embossing – there is a wave pattern in the window of the $10 banknote, and the value of the banknote in the windows of $20, $50 and $100 banknotes.”