$100 Bill Fake Alert! The Only
🚨 Fake $100 Bills Are Everywhere — Don’t Lose $100 in Seconds
Every year, thousands of people lose money because they don’t know how to properly check a $100 bill.
Counterfeiters are getting smarter.
Scams are getting more common.
And one mistake could cost you $100 instantly.
This is your complete step-by-step guide to checking whether your $100 bill is real or fake.
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Let’s begin.
🧾 Step 1: Feel the Raised Printing (The Texture Test)
Authentic U.S. currency is printed using intaglio printing, which creates raised ink.
On a real United States one hundred-dollar bill:
- You should feel texture on:
- Benjamin Franklin’s jacket
- The words “United States of America”
- The large “100” numbers
Run your finger across Franklin’s shoulder.
👉 If it feels completely smooth, that’s a red flag.
Counterfeit bills often lack the tactile ridges.
🔵 Step 2: Check the Blue 3D Security Ribbon (Newer Bills)
Newer $100 bills (Series 2009 and later) include a blue 3D security ribbon.
This ribbon is woven into the paper — not printed on top.
What Should Happen:
- When you tilt the bill,
- The tiny “100s” and Liberty Bells move
- The movement shifts side to side and up and down
If the strip:
❌ Doesn’t move
❌ Looks printed on
❌ Peels off
It’s likely counterfeit.
💡 Step 3: Hold It to the Light (Watermark Test)
On the right side of the bill, you should see a faint watermark image of Benjamin Franklin.
It must:
- Match the printed portrait
- Be visible from both sides
- Appear subtle and embedded in the paper
⚠️ Common Scam:
Some fake bills are altered from lower denominations.
For example:
- A $10 bill altered to look like $100
- But the watermark still shows the original portrait from the United States ten-dollar bill
If the watermark doesn’t match Franklin — it’s fake.
🖊 Step 4: The Counterfeit Detection Pen Test
You may have seen stores using a special pen.
Here’s how it works:
- Draw a small mark on the bill
- If it turns yellow/gold → PASS
- If it turns dark brown or black → FAIL
The pen reacts with starch found in regular paper.
Real U.S. currency paper contains cotton and linen fibers, not starch.
⚠ Important:
Skilled counterfeiters can sometimes bypass this test. Never rely on this alone.
🔦 Step 5: Use Light to Check the Security Thread
Every real $100 bill has a vertical embedded security thread.
Hold the bill up to light.
You should see:
- A thin strip running vertically
- Microprinting that says “USA 100”
- It glows pink under UV light
If there is:
❌ No embedded strip
❌ A printed fake strip
❌ Incorrect placement
That’s an automatic fail.
🔤 Step 6: Match the Federal Reserve Letter & Number
Look at the black Federal Reserve seal.
You’ll see:
- A letter (A through L)
- A corresponding number (1 through 12)
Example:
- F = 6
- A = 1
- B = 2
The letter must match its alphabetical order number.
If they don’t correspond, the bill is counterfeit.
🧠 Bonus Tip: Check Microprinting
Using a magnifying glass, inspect:
- Around Franklin’s collar
- Along the security thread
- Near the quill and inkwell
Real bills contain extremely small, sharp microtext.
Fake bills often blur or smudge at high magnification.
🏛 Who Produces Real $100 Bills?
Authentic $100 bills are printed by the:
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- Under authority of the United States Department of the Treasury
They use specialized cotton-linen paper and high-security printing processes that are extremely difficult to replicate.
🚩 Quick Fake $100 Red Flags Checklist
If you notice any of these, be cautious:
- Smooth paper with no texture
- Blue ribbon doesn’t move
- Missing watermark
- Wrong watermark portrait
- No security thread
- Letter & number mismatch
- Blurry microprinting
Even one failure should raise concern.
🎯 The $100 Protection Rule
Never rush.
Always check:
1️⃣ Texture
2️⃣ Ribbon movement
3️⃣ Watermark
4️⃣ Security thread
5️⃣ Letter-number match
It takes 10 seconds to verify.
It costs $100 if you don’t.
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