Fake Naira Notes From ATM Machines

The next time you visit an ATM machine to withdraw your money, I'll advise you to go through the notes and ensure they are GENUINE. Yes, that's what I said - GENUINE! Somehow there's been an infiltration of fake notes in the circulation of currency.

Sometime last month, I was at an ATM to withdraw some money and literarily counted the money just to be sure before I headed home.

It was in the course of Wifey spending some of the money that we discovered one of the notes was fake. She had actually bought some foodstuff at the market and on paying the money, was given back a one thousand naira note that was discovered to be fake!

I got home to learn about it and was incensed. This was happening at a time when we were operating on a strict budget. I didn't bother going back to report to the bank that I had received fake currency from their ATM as I had forgotten which bank it was (I had withdrawn the money weeks earlier).

The original (above) and the fake (below)
Image Courtesy Sisi Yemmie

Then I saw a tweet by @Sisi_Yemmie of Gistdotcom where she tweeted a picture of a fake N1000 note alongside an original. The fake note was very much like the fake one I had!

On looking closely at the fake and original notes these are the things I noticed:

The fake note was shorter in length to the original

The pictures of Alhaji Aliyu Mai-Bornu and Dr.Clement Isong are darker on the fake note and not as clear as the original.

The golden seal to the lower right on the original note is well patterned that you can see the design clearly while the one on the fake note looks like piece of golden foil was just embedded onto the paper.

The watermark of the original note is clearer and more distinct than the fake one which looks roughly done.

Also, should you happen to spill water on the fake note and leave it for a while, you'll see it change color due to the fake nature of its print. The original note, no matter how long you soak it in water never gives away its colors.

You know that smell notes have? The fake note lacks it.

Lastly, the fake note is lighter in volume than the original.

Days later, I got some interesting info from an insider on what happens concerning bank ATMs.

According to my source, there are people who are assigned to fill up the ATMs with currency. This duty is always highly contested for and you find these guys almost fighting each other for the opportunity to be the one to load the ATMs.

This is rather suspicious as it’s only those who load ATMs that can load fake money on it. The trick as relayed by my insider would be that while loading the ATMs, some original notes would be removed and substituted with fake notes; they are mixed together with other original notes. The removed original notes goe into the ATM filler’s pocket while the fake mixed with other original notes awaits the unlucky customer who visits the ATM!

I’ve heard of Bank cashiers’ pilfering customer’s cash and banks deducting wrongly from one’s account but this has got to be the highest form of bank criminality.

Nowadays I don’t leave the ATM just counting cash alone; I also CHECK the cash as well to be sure they are REAL.

So the next time you visit an ATM, don’t leave the moment cash is dispensed. Be sure to stand there so that the security camera can see all you’re doing. Count the money and check the notes. There just might be an impostor among your cash. And if you noticed one, it will be caught on the camera for proof…and somebody in the bank will get queried…that is if the ‘Ogas’ are not involved.