Is this real?

Dealing with potentially counterfeit money can be nerve-wracking, especially if you're responsible for safeguarding a business. From my experience, one of the first and most accessible tests for a $100 bill is the ink pen check. This smart technology detects counterfeit bills by reacting with the starch in regular paper; genuine bills use cotton fiber and don’t leave a dark mark when tested. However, passing the pen test alone isn't foolproof. Over time, genuine bills can become brittle and worn, which might make them harder to identify at a glance. That’s why it’s important to examine other security features as well. For instance, the 2006 series $100 bill includes watermarks and security threads that are visible when held up to light. The watermark portrait of Benjamin Franklin is located on the right side of the bill, and the security thread runs vertically with microprinted text indicating the bill’s denomination. Additionally, looking closely at the bill under a UV light can reveal the embedded thread glowing in a specific color (usually pink for the $100 bill). These multilayered security features are designed to make counterfeiting more difficult and should be your next step after the pen test. In my own encounters, I sometimes take a photo of the bill and compare it to high-resolution images available on official Federal Reserve websites. This can help identify inconsistencies in color, font, or placement of features. If you’re still uncertain, all businesses should consider using counterfeit detection machines or consulting with professional currency verifiers. Protecting your business means staying vigilant and layering these checks to be confident in the authenticity of cash transactions.