Are you a small or medium-sized business owner who tried depositing your daily earnings into the bank? But then, suddenly, you’re told that the bills you hold are actually counterfeit and hold zero value?

Or maybe you’ve tried paying cash at an establishment, only to be rejected because the bills you were using were identified as fake.

Unfortunately, these scenarios occur across the Philippines on a daily basis, as scammers target unsuspecting victims . Thankfully, there are ways to check if the money you’re receiving is fake or real.

 

How do you use the Panther Money Checker?

It’s incredibly easy to use Panther Money Checker. Simply plug in the Panther Money Checker into a wall outlet (allowable input voltage range: ~150V AC to 220V AC). Then, turn it on.

Next, place your money underneath the UV light. Look for the security features embedded in the money, as discussed in the next section.

 

Can UV light detect fake money?

As counterfeiters become more sophisticated, BSP installed anti-counterfeit safeguards in our money to help protect us. Through the use of ultraviolet (UV) light, you can check for these safeguards that would normally be hidden from the naked eye. We’ve listed out how below.

Note: The Panther Money Checker can be used for all currencies that have UV security features. However, for the purposes of this article, we’ve used the Philippine peso bill to illustrate the Panther Money Checker’s usage.

As of January 1, 2016, the New Generation Currency (NGC) design was put into circulation by Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). As such, the examples we used below is based off the security features of this New Generation Currency (NGC) design.

 

#1 Check for red and blue fibers that’s visibly scattered on both sides of the bill

Red or blue fibers become visible when you put a real bill under UV light. They’re shaped in the form of confetti, and scattered randomly across the bill.

 

#2 Check if the Symbol of Nature glows under the UV light

You can also flip the bill over, and check if the Symbol of Nature on the lower left hand side of the bill is glowing under the UV light.

A kind of modus operandi of scammers lately is they color the 20-peso bill a darker red. Then, they write over the value (from to 20 to 50) in the bill’s corner, so that you’re fooled into thinking you’re holding a 50-peso bill.

Because it’s technically a real bill; the security threads, red and blue fibers, and symbol of nature will all glow under the UV light.

The best way to counteract this?

Make sure you’re familiar with the portrait and symbol of nature that you’d expect to see for each denomination bill. Below is a cheat sheet for you to use as reference.

 

What are other manual ways to check if your money is counterfeit?

Of course, aside from using the Panther Money Checker, here are additional things to look out for.

 

#3 Check for security threads that run vertically through the bill

Security threads embedded into the bills will show clearly when held against the light

• For 20 peso and 50 peso bills, a straight line can be seen
• For 100 peso bills and above, the following will show up:
  • The text “BSP,” as well as
  • The denominational value of the bill you’re holding

Example: A 500-peso bill will have “BSP” and “500” show up, when held against the light.

 

#4 Look for the hidden watermark

When you hold the bill against a light, a shadow of the portrait can be seen on the frontal side of the bill (right side, where the bill has a white vacant space).

 

#5 Check if your 500 and 1000-peso bills have the Optically Variable Device (OVD) Patch

Because these are the higher denomination bills, additional protection features were added. This OVD patch is made of reflective foil, and would showcase their respective Symbol of Nature:

• Blue-Naped Parrot for the PHP 500 bill
• South Sea Pearl for the PHP 1000 bill

 

#6 Check the texture of the bill

Previously, the Philippine Peso banknotes used linen, which was easy to counterfeit.

So now, the current NGC banknotes are made of abaca fibers, and should be rough to the touch compared to the smooth texture of counterfeit notes.

Aside from that, most texts on the bills should be embossed. This means, if you run your finger through the words, the print should feel slightly raised.

And that’s pretty much it! We hope these 6 tips help you protect your business and wallet from banknote forgeries. Whether used for payment accidentally or criminally, forged banknotes are worthless to you, so always be on the lookout! If you need help, Panther’s Money Checker can help you weed out the real from the fake.

 

Interested in purchasing a Panther Money Checker in the Philippines?

Panther is proud to be known as a trusted Money Checker supplier in the Philippines for decades. Purchase our Panther Money Checker through our website, official Shopee or Lazada store. For bulk orders, feel free to contact us directly for the best rate.

 

Still Have Questions?

Reading this article should help you figure out the following:

• How do you use the Panther Money Checker?
• Can you detect fake money using UV light?
• What are other manual ways to check if your money is counterfeit?
• Where can you purchase a Panther Money Checker in the Philippines?

If you still have questions, feel free to drop a comment below or email us at pantherproduct@gmail.com