How Cash Counting Machines Detect Counterfeit Bills?
The problem of counterfeit currency has been around for as long as the history of money itself. And it continues to be a major problem in the financial industry today. All sorts of businesses that deal with cash on a daily basis have got to be cautious of fake currency entering their premises. But checking every note by hand is a daunting job, and even with a detailed visual inspection, it can be challenging to detect a counterfeit bill.
Thanks to the technological advancements the world has seen, we have now sophisticated counterfeit money detection technologies available to deal with the problem. It is now easy to detect counterfeit currency, but only if you use a cash machine equipped with fake bill detection technologies. Today, most types of money counters can detect counterfeit bills within seconds.
Types of cash counting machines
Currency counters are either fully mechanic or utilize electronic elements. The basic cash machine only provides the total of a single denomination currency placed in the hopper. But the modern cash counting machine can even identify and count currencies of different denominations and countries.
Then there are more advanced money counters that can also be used as counterfeit bill detectors. Most such devices are equipped with magnetic, infrared, and/or ultraviolet (UV) technologies to spot counterfeit banknotes.
Money counters also differ by design, with the two main types being back and top-loading styles. With the back-loading counter, the notes are placed into the hopper from the back, whereas, in the case of a top-loading machine, the notes are put into the machine from the front.
Counterfeit bill detection technology
Despite the countless types and brands of currency counters out there, most machines come with counterfeit bill detection features. These technologies quickly pick out bogus currencies, keeping them from entering your business and circulating in the economy.
Most machines use one or more of the following technologies to detect phony bills:
- Ultraviolet (UV) detection: UV is the leading technology used in a money counting machine to detect counterfeit bills. Most countries, including the US, place ink with UV florescent phosphors induction in their banknotes. When UV light is thrown on such currencies, the florescent stripes, which are not visible to the naked eyes, glow.
- Magnetic (MG) detection: Besides UV, most cash machines use magnetic scan features to detect fake bills. Many countries use magnetic ink in printing their paper currencies. The MG detection technology is designed to spot the traces of iron particles in the ink to determine whether a banknote is genuine.
- Infrared (IR) detection: While IR is not commonly used in money counters, it is a sophisticated and more effective counterfeit money detection technology. Counterfeiters may find ways to go around UV and magnetic detection features, but it is incredibly difficult for them to bypass IR detection. A money counting machine equipped with IR tech uses sensors to determine the authenticity of bills printed with IR inks.
More sophisticated bill counters come equipped with counterfeit currency detection features like color image sensing, watermark sensing, infrared thickness, and metal thread coding.
Conclusion
When buying a cash counter, be sure to choose one that is equipped with one or more fake money detection technologies. As explained above, counterfeit bill detectors are available in many designs and use a variety of technologies. These machines can prevent business losses that may otherwise result from counterfeit currencies. Some examples of the leading counterfeit bill detectors include Carnation CR1500 Mixed Bill Value Counter, Cassida Uno IR Counterfeit Detector, and Carnation CR180 Currency Counter UV Detection.