Are Rs 500 Notes with A Green ‘Strip’ Near Gandhi’s Image Fake?

An image of Rs 500 note falsely claimed that if the green security thread is near Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait, it’s counterfeit currency.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

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CLAIM

An image circulating on social media is warning people to not accept Rs 500 notes on which the security thread (green strip) is placed near Mahatma Gandhi’s impression. Rather, it claims that people should accept Rs 500 notes which have the thread near ‘Governor’s signature’.

Several social media users shared the image with the same claim on Facebook and Twitter.

(Source: Twitter)

The same image was circulated in 2017 with a similar narrative.

TRUE OR FALSE?

A source in the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) told The Quint that the claim made in the post is false. Further, the RBI’s list of features of Rs 500 notes does not mention anything about the distance of the security thread from Gandhi’s portrait printed on the note.

WHAT WE FOUND OUT

A source in RBI confirmed to The Quint that the claim made in the post is false. However, he refrained from answering whether the placement of the security thread is an issue or not.

We then searched for how to identify counterfeit currency. The RBI, on its website, listed out features of Rs 500 notes and how one can detect if it’s counterfeit currency.

The list includes identification marks such as denominational value in Devanagari, the way Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait is oriented, RBI Governor’s signature with Promise Clause, among others.

Regarding the security thread, as per RBI, it will turn from green to blue if the note is tilted. However, it does not mention anything about the distance of the thread from Gandhi’s portrait printed on the note.

The image shows different features of Rs. 500 note issued by the RBI.(Photo: RBI website screenshot)

We also found a RBI circular dated 2 July 2018 which is related to ‘Detection and Impounding of Counterfeit Notes.’ It mentions that banks along with issue offices of RBI and treasuries and sub-treasuries can impound counterfeit notes. Currency notes that are received from the bank either over the counter or at the ‘currency chest’ should be checked through machines.

Following which, a stamp of ‘COUNTERFEIT NOTES’ shall be put on the notes that are detected to be fake, and then shall be impounded, states the circular. It also mentions the various scenarios wherein cases related to counterfeit currency should be reported to the police.

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