Federal Reserve Banks do not accept deposits of counterfeit or unlawfully altered currency or coin. Depository institutions (DIs) that have questions about where to forward suspect counterfeit currency can visit the "Report Counterfeit Currency" page (Off-site). If a Reserve Bank detects counterfeit or unlawfully altered currency or coin in DI deposits, the Reserve Bank forwards that currency or coin to the Secret Service, and the DI’s Reserve account is charged for the difference.
How to Authenticate U.S. Currency
Accepting a counterfeit note could lead to a real financial loss for individuals or businesses. The best way to determine whether a banknote is genuine is to rely on the security features. Staff at financial institutions can familiarize themselves with security features found in genuine Federal Reserve notes by visiting the U.S. Currency Education Program (CEP) (Off-site) website, which provides educational materials, training and information on all circulating designs and denominations of Federal Reserve notes.
If You Receive a Counterfeit
If you ever doubt the authenticity of a note you receive, contact your local U.S. Secret Service field office (Off-site).
For more information about FedCash Services processing and operations, visit the FedCash pages or consult your local FedCash Services contact.
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