For years, fraudsters have been efficiently producing credible counterfeit money using nothing more than over the counter materials and basic home-publishing equipment.
This Video, below shows just how very simple it has been to produce excellent counterfeit $100 banknotes non-detectable to the average person.
Now, the Bureau of Engraving & Printing ("BEP") has announced that next year, they will be releasing a redesigned version of the $100 note. Treasury Secretary Geithner is quoted in the release as stating that the technologies chosen are intended to "stay a step ahead" of the counterfeiters.
I find this to be an interesting development. All previous efforts by the Treasury to secure the currency have proven futile. In fact, several years ago, when the BEP was touting the security of the new $20 note prior to its release, savvy graphics folks were grabbing images of the new bill off the BEP website and using it to pre-print counterfeit money! We even heard of cases where people were arrested for carrying these counterfeit 20's before the new design had been released to the public.
The fact is that, through the long history of currency, governments have attempted to make their legal-tender ever-increasingly difficult to forge.
None have succeeded.
I believe the new design $100 note will keep the "casual" counterfeiters at bay for a short time. But eventually, someone will develop a technique to adequately replicate the new security features, and it will be available in blogs, "dark markets" and even on You Tube for others to see and learn.
As far as the "super note" manufacturers are concerned, I believe they will have the new security features defeated before the new $100 is released. Foreign nations have access to the same tools and materials as the BEP, and have as much skill at producing currency notes as our govenrment does.
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