Spot the Spoof; Here's How to Detect Fake Rupiah Notes

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, is swiftly approaching, and Muslims in Indonesia are eagerly anticipating the festivities. 

Every year, consumption spikes in the run-up to the Islamic holiday, leading to an increase in cash transactions, which unfortunately presents an opportunity for irresponsible parties to circulate counterfeit Rupiah notes.

According to Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI) Doni P Joewono, the central bank printed a total of Rp197.6 trillion in new money for the Ramadan and Eid period. “This figure is 4.65 percent higher than last year's figure of around Rp189 trillion,” he said in Jakarta on February 21 as reported by Antara.

How can you tell if your rupiah is real or fake?

There is a foolproof way to distinguish real money from counterfeit money called 3D (Dilihat, Diraba, Diterawang), as explained by the University of North Sumatra Muhammadiyah on its page. 

This government campaign encourages individuals to scrutinize banknotes by looking at the bills, touching the bills, and holding the bills up to the light. The details are as follows:

1. Dilihat (Look at it)

Look at the color changes of the security thread in the denomination of Rp 100,000 and Rp50,000 bills, the BI logo shield in the Rp100,000, Rp50,000, and Rp20,000 bills. Find hidden colored changing numbers on the Rp100,000, Rp50,000, Rp20,000, and Rp10,000 bills, as well as hidden images in the form of BI lettering and numbers.

2. Diraba (Touch it)

Rub your fingers along the banknote and feel the embossed texture of the national revolutionary hero, the state symbol, the denomination number, the phrase UNITED STATE OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA, and the words BANK INDONESIA. 

There are also some raised lines on the right or left side as a code for visually impaired people to identify the nominal amount and authenticity of the banknote.

3. Diterawang (See through it)

The final step is to hold the notes up to the light and see the image of the national hero, ornamental images on certain fragments, and the perfectly shaped BI logo although it is overlaid.

Characteristics of genuine rupiah

Genuine Rupiah notes have certain characteristics as follows:

1. The rupiah has a watermark in the shape of an Indonesian hero which varies depending on the denomination of the bill.

2. The material of Rupiah banknotes is a cotton fiber that has relatively elastic properties and does not tear easily.

3. There is a security thread on the Rp100,000, Rp50,000 bills, and the Rp20,000 bills. In the last two fragments, you can see the security threads glow in the light.

4. The design, color, and size of the Rupiah currency are bright and clear.

5. There is a BI Rectoverso logo on the Rp100,000, Rp50,000, Rp20,000, and Rp10,000 bills. The rectoverso logo itself is a hidden image bearing the BI symbol on the front side of the banknote.

6. The genuine rupiah has an image of the national hero when the banknote is viewed from a certain angle.

NI KADEK TRISNA CINTYA DEWI

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