‘Home Depot machine here won’t take older bills anymore’: Man reveals trick for how to tell if you have counterfeit money. Then he demos it.
Is this the best way to tell if money is counterfeit? Well, according to one man, all you need is a crumpled piece of paper and a little bit of elbow grease. So is this a genius money hack, or just another internet fable?
TikTok user IknowTHINGS (@jko_knows) shares that his father showed him a “carnival trick” to spot fake money.
“Money is printed on cotton and not on paper. And the ink on real money never dries fully,” he claims in the clip. So far, it's been viewed more than 380,000 times.
“So any bill that you need to check, if you just simply take and apply a little bit of pressure on a piece of white paper and swipe, you're going to get some ink transfer on that piece of paper.”
Faking the fakers?
The smear on the receipt paper he used to demonstrate the counterfeit detection ink test appears to illustrate the theory is sound. Plenty of commenters noted that pressure applied to thermo receipt paper creates discoloration and could register as a false positive. In a response video, ITK repeats the test on standard printer paper and gets the same results.
U.S. currency is printed on a blend of 75% cotton and 25% linen, for a distinct texture compared to standard paper. The ink used is formulated for durability and resistance to various conditions. While currency ink has specific properties, the assertion that it "never fully dries" and will always transfer in tests for counterfeit detection is misleading.
Over time, as bills circulate, they accumulate oils, dirt, and other residues, which might cause some smudging when rubbed. However, this is not a reliable counterfeit detection indicator. Both genuine and counterfeit notes can exhibit similar behavior under such conditions.
Full faith and credit
To accurately identify counterfeit bills, consider the following security features embedded in U.S. currency:
- Security Thread: A thin, embedded strip running vertically on the bill, visible when held up to light. Each denomination has a uniquely positioned thread that glows a specific color under ultraviolet light.
- Watermark: An image visible from both sides when held up to light, typically matching the portrait on the bill.
- Color-Shifting Ink: On denominations of $10 and higher, the numeral in the lower right corner shifts color when the bill is tilted.
- Microprinting: Extremely small text located in various areas on the bill, difficult to replicate accurately.
- Raised Printing: The printing technique gives U.S. currency its distinctive texture, which can be felt by running a fingernail over the note.
Famous counterfeiters almost got away with it
Throughout U.S. history, certain counterfeiters have captivated public imagination, often being romanticized as folk heroes challenging established systems.
Victor Lustig gained notoriety his audacious sale of the Eiffel Tower. He also ran a sophisticated counterfeiting operation in the U.S. during the 1930s. He circulated thousands of counterfeit dollars monthly for five years before his arrest in 1935.
Emerich Juettner, known as "Mister 880," became an unlikely folk figure in the 1930s and 1940s. An elderly janitor in New York City, Juettner supplemented his income by producing crude counterfeit $1 bills.
His operation was so modest and his fake bills so poorly made that authorities initially overlooked them. Juettner evaded capture for a decade. Upon his arrest, his story garnered public sympathy, leading to a light sentence. His tale was later adapted into the 1950 film "Mister 880."
The romanticization of such figures stems from their defiance and ingenuity, which fascinate the public. During periods of economic hardship, like the Great Depression, individuals targeting institutions blamed for societal woes were sometimes viewed sympathetically, contributing to their folk hero status.
Viewers weigh in
Commenters on the clip were skeptical of the claims of how to detect fake currency.
“Can't really say if it works on older bills, but the shoulder has raised ink that you can feel with the tip of your fingers,” one wrote.
Another took a direct shot at the method: “I scrape a receipt with my finger and it does the same thing. I am real.”
And there’s also some incompatibility between some modern payment systems and older bills. “Home Depot machine here won't take older bills anymore, just the newer ones. Been through it in my store,” the user stated.
@jko_knows Always thought this was cool and it seems nobody ever knows this when I share it
♬ original sound - IknowTHINGS
The Daily Dot reached out to ITK via direct message, and to Home Depot via email.
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