Due to our current economical status and various levels of greed, counterfeiting once again is on the rise. Another reason for this is the ease and speed with which large quantities of counterfeit currency can be produced using modern photographic and printing equipment. In fact, according to the United States Secret Service Annual Report for 2011, approximately 60 percent of the counterfeit currency passed
domestically in 2011 was produced using digital printing
means, compared with less than one percent in 1995.
According to the same report, there were 2,857 domestic and foreign arrests made for counterfeiting offenses and more than $154 million in counterfeit U.S. currency removed from circulation. In 2010, there were 3,028 arrests made with more than $261 million in counterfeit U.S. currency removed from circulation and in 2009, there were 2,866 arrests with $182 million seized. Overall in three years, that is a total of more than half a billion dollars ($597 million) removed from the streets of our great country. So, how much more is still in circulation today being distributed by petty street crooks, drug cartels and terrorist groups? They are endangering our nation's financial infrastructure by attempting to destroy the integrity of our economy and we need to take an aggressive approach to reduce/eliminate the issue.
Countless businesses have been using a counterfeit detection pen for more then 20 years and are still using them today to hopefully detect counterfeit currency. These pens perform a PH test and are not as effective considering today’s advanced technology. Since bills can be coated with an easily obtainable spray starch, it prevents those pens from identifying counterfeit bills. In addition, a large percentage of the counterfeit currencies in America today were once five dollar bills, which were then bleached and altered in order to create a more valuable denomination. These bills subsequently will be identified as authentic when marked with the pen since they are in fact already printed upon American currency.
Today, many businesses have opt-in to purchasing an ultraviolet counterfeit detection unit at every point of sale location, which enables the user to spot a fake bill quickly and efficiently.
These units can be used to accurately detect counterfeit currency;
state issued driver licenses/identification cards
, checks, money orders, credit cards, traveler's checks, casino chips and event tickets. If you are the Owner/Manager or the Director of Security of a financial institution, nightclub/bar/restaurant, retailer, stadium or any other business that handles any of the aforementioned items, then the CSS-1
is a must and an effective method of taking an aggressive stance against counterfeiters.
If you have received any counterfeit bank notes, investigated a counterfeit currency case and/or would like to share a story, please feel free to leave a comment.
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