October 13, 2025 — Changhua, Taiwan
A supermarket clerk in Changhua recently shared on social media her close encounter with a counterfeit NT$500 bill, sparking widespread online discussion about the increasing realism of fake currency.
The clerk recounted that around 10:30 p.m., a customer attempted to pay with a NT$500 bill that at first glance looked genuine. However, she noticed that the bill felt unusually smooth and the anti-counterfeiting strip did not reflect light. Upon closer inspection, she saw the words “Magic Printing Factory” printed at the bottom of the note instead of the authentic “Central Printing Factory.” The clerk immediately recognized the bill as counterfeit, potentially saving herself half a day’s wages. She suspected the customer was aware the note was fake, noting that he looked extremely guilty when caught.
The social media post quickly went viral, with netizens commenting on the bill’s realistic appearance. Many shared similar experiences, including accidentally accepting fake notes or witnessing others being deceived. Some users even expressed surprise, saying that money detectors might not always catch such high-quality counterfeits.
The Central Bank of Taiwan reminded the public that highly realistic counterfeit banknotes do exist, but people can still protect themselves by checking six key anti-counterfeiting features:
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Raised touch: Genuine notes have raised and concave patterns at the upper left, lower left, and lower right corners.
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Transparent watermark: Holding the note against light reveals the words “bamboo” and the number 500.
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Color-changing ink: Tilting the note changes the color of the denomination number in the lower left corner from gold to green.
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Color-changing window-type security thread: Displays colorful light effects, showing the number 500 under light.
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Hidden words at 15-degree angle: Viewing from approximately 15 degrees reveals a hidden “500.”
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Light and shadow effects on the strip foil: Shaking the note reveals distinct light and shadow changes.
The Central Bank also urged citizens to examine banknotes carefully, and to report any suspected counterfeit bills to the police or hand them over to a financial institution. Attempting to use counterfeit currency is illegal and punishable under the law.