According to the Deutsche Bundesbank, circulation of counterfeit 500 euros rose exceptionally after the year 2022. These fake euro banknotes are used for fraudulent dealings of luxury goods like jewellery, watches, cars, and gold bars. This increases an individual’s chance of encountering fake 500 euro notes.
It is ideal to learn about the ways to spot fake euros and report them to the concerned authorities. Continue reading to explore how to detect a fake 500-euro note and get familiar with the basic as well as advanced features embedded with the bill to identify fake euros.
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Ways to Identify Fake 500 Euro Notes
Euro is the national currency of 20 EU countries including Germany, France, Austria, Greece, Ireland, Spain, Netherlands and others. It is no surprise that with the advancement of technology, counterfeit euro notes are a problem.
Well, it is easy to identify fake euro banknotes by looking at the general details like colour and paper material and security features like watermark, security thread, and microprinting. Similarly, you can detect a counterfeit 100-dollar bill. Let’s dive into the details and learn more about these ways-
Also Read: Wondering about How to Identify Counterfeit Pounds? Check out this blog to find out the details.
Check the Security Features
Unlike real notes, counterfeit euro notes are printed. Thus, a security thread, watermark, colour-changing patterns, hologram, and microprinting are some of the features that can help in identifying fake 500 euro notes. Let’s see how to examine them-
Security Thread
The security thread is one of the main features to help you spot a fake 500 euro note. It is a vertical stripe in the centre-left area of the bill.
- It will be printed in the fake euro while the security thread is embedded in a real euro banknote. You can run your fingers through the same to identify it.
- When you hold the bill in light, the security stripe will appear dark on real EUR banknotes but it would just appear a greyish-black line on a fake 500 euro note.
- On the security thread, one can observe the EURO and € symbols (in the new notes) in tiny lettering on real notes. This is either blurred or absent in fake euro banknotes.
Hologram
The hologram image is present on all denominations of the Euro notes. It is featured in a vertical stripe or a rectangle depending on the denomination. One can notice changes in the colour when tilting the bill in light.
- On fake euro notes, the hologram image is absent. In cases when is it featured, one cannot notice the change in colour in tilting the bill, unlike a real euro note.
- The new series of the EUR notes features an image of Europa as a hologram.
Watermark
Watermark is another feature that helps you identify a fake 500 euro note. When the bill is held to the light, all real EUR notes will have a watermark image. The watermark image is located on the left side of the front of the bill which replicates the architectural image.
- On fake 500 euros, the watermark is not visible. It is printed on the fake bill and sharp light-dark transitions are noticed when held in the light.
Also Read: Know all about Counterfeit Dollars and the ways they are produced
Microprinting
The microprinting technique is very difficult to copy and thus counterfeiters find it challenging to implement while printing fake euro notes. This requires advanced printing techniques and thus counterfeit euros lack it. One can notice microprinting under a magnifying glass.
- On fake 500 euro notes, microprinted ‘EURO’ or the star decal is absent. However, all the euro banknotes will have this printed which appears like a fine thin line running on the bill.
Ultraviolet and Infrared Properties
New euro bills emit three colours under UV rays. The fibres embedded in the paper glow red, green and blue.
- On the front, the flag of the European Union looks green and has orange stars. The signature of the ECB President turns green. The large stars and the small circles in the centre glow. But, in fake 500 euros, the text and images are either completely visible or invisible under the UV rays.
Look at the General Details
Counterfeit 500 euros are different from real 500 euro banknotes. In case you find it challenging to identify a fake 500 euro note by examining the security features, you can spot a fake 500 euro bill by looking at the general details like the format, colour, and picture elements. Similarly, a fake 100-euro note can be identified. Here’s how you can do it-
- 500 Euro bill is in a purple colour that features modern architecture. A fake 500 euro note will have a difference in colour with the blurred print of the image on it.
- A real euro bill is made up of 100% cotton fibre which gives a special distinctive feel to the paper. However, a counterfeit 500 euro might feel a little waxy to the touch and will lack raised printing.
- The size of a real 500 euro note is 160 x 82 mm. A fake 500 euro note will vary in size.
- The new series of Euro bills features a female Europa watermark which is visible in the light.
FAQs on Fake 500 Euro Note
Yes, it is possible and very easy to identify fake euro banknotes by looking at the general details like colour and paper material and security features like watermark, security thread, and microprinting.
Absolutely. According to the Deutsche Bundesbank, circulation of counterfeit 500 euros rose exceptionally after the year 2022. These fake euro banknotes are used for fraudulent dealings of luxury goods like jewellery, watches, cars, and gold bars.
With the advancement of technology, counterfeiters can produce counterfeit euro notes. However, the technology used to produce the real ones is very distinctive and the cotton fibre used in making real euro notes is not available to counterfeiters. Thus, with a lack of proper resources, fake 500 euro notes that are produced can be easily identified.
You can identify fake euro banknotes by looking at the general details like colour and paper material and security features like watermark, security thread, and microprinting.
A fake euro note will have a difference in colour with the blurred print of the image on it. It might also feel a little waxy to the touch. Counterfeit euro banknotes will lack raised printing and the Europa hologram image will be absent.
The €500 banknote in the old edition of the Euro series is not part of the new Europa series and it has already been withdrawn from circulation since April 27th, 2019. Nevertheless, like the major denomination of euro banknotes, €500 notes will not lose their value and can be tendered at any central bank of the euro area on terms of fair exchange.
This was all about fake 500 euro notes. If you are wondering what to do with a counterfeit currency, make sure to hand it over to the banks or the police if you encounter any counterfeit euro notes. To know more about education loans, the best bank accounts for students, forex and banking experience for global students or international money transfers, reach out to our experts at 1800572126 to help ease your study abroad experience.
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