How to check if Rs 500 note is real or fake? Follow RBI’s 17-point checklist to check authenticity

New Delhi: Many of us may have received fake notes from shopkeepers. For many Indians, it’s difficult to tell if the Rs 500 note in your pocket is genuine or fake, as the duplicate ones look exactly like real notes.

If you also face difficulty in differentiating the fake or real Rs Rs 500, you need not worry, as the Reserve Bank of India itself has issued a checklist that one can follow to find out fake notes. Also Read: Unbelievable! Man wins about Rs 3200 crores in Mega Millions jackpot prize with single ticket in US 

A recent RBI report had pointed out that banks had received fake notes worth Rs 5.45 crore between 2020 and 2021. Out of the total 2,08,625 fake notes that have been caught, banks caught 2,00,518 notes while RBI had found 8107 fake notes. Moreover, in the year 2019-20, 30,054 fake notes of Rs 500 were caught. This means that there was a rise of 31.3% in fake notes caught by the authorities. Also Read: Bank Holidays in February: Banks to remain shut for 12 days next month, check important dates

With so many fake notes circulating, it’s important to know how to identify fake Rs 500 notes. Here’s how to check the authenticity of Rs 500 notes: 

1. You will be to see 500 written in special places if you place the Rs 500 note in front of a light. 
2. Keeping the note at an angle of 45 degrees in front of the eye will also let you see 500 written in this special place.
3. You can also see 500 written at this place in Devanagari will be seen.
4. Mahatma Gandhi’s photo is on right in the centre.
5. India will be seen written.
6. If you bend the note lightly, you can see the colour of the security thread changing from green to indigo.
7. Governor's signature, guarantee clause, promise clause and RBI logo have now been shifted to the right side. 
8. Mahatma Gandhi’s photo and electrotype watermark are also visible.
9. Numbers on the top left side and bottom right side increase from left to right.
10. The colour of the number 500 written on the note changes from green to blue.
11. On the right side of the note is Ashoka Pillar.
12. On the right side circle box, 500 will be written. There are 5 bleed lines on the right and left side and emblem of Ashoka Pillar, and Mahatma Gandhi's picture is in ruffle print.
13. You can check the year of printing of the note. 
14. Swachh Bharat’s logo is printed with the slogan.
15. Language panel is located towards the centre.
16. The picture print is of the Red Fort with the Indian flag.
17. 500 is printed in Devanagari