How to Identify a Fake $100 Bill: Key Security Features to Check

Name: How to Identify a Fake $100 Bill: Key Security Features to Check
Uploaded: 2026-03-28T00:00:00Z
Duration: 34 s
Description: Learn how to spot a fake $100 bill by checking security features like the 3D ribbon, color-shifting ink, watermark, and UV security threads.

Learn how to spot a fake $100 bill by checking security features like the 3D ribbon, color-shifting ink, watermark, and UV security threads.

Published Mar 28, 2026

Video transcript

Fake $100 bills often lack fine details and may have blurred text or images. Key security features to check include a 3D security ribbon woven into the paper, a color-shifting number 100 in the lower right corner, and a watermark of Benjamin Franklin visible on the right side when held up to light. Ultraviolet light can also reveal security threads that appear differently on counterfeit versus real bills.

Questions and answers

What security features are on a real $100 bill?
A real $100 bill includes a 3D security ribbon, a color-shifting number 100 in the lower right corner, a watermark of Benjamin Franklin visible when held to light, and ultraviolet security threads.
How can I tell if a $100 bill is counterfeit using ultraviolet light?
Under ultraviolet light, real $100 bills show security threads that glow in specific colors, while counterfeit bills either lack these threads or have threads that appear different.
Why do fake $100 bills have blurred text or images?
Counterfeiters often struggle to replicate the fine details of genuine bills, resulting in blurred or fuzzy text and images on fake $100 bills.