Security elements of New RMB Bills

The new RMB bills with the fortified device for preventing forgery and falsification were issued in November 2015. Only the 100 RMB bills were newly issued.

The new and old bills are compared:

<The old bill as above and the new bill as below>

The front of new bill is added with a partially exposed silver line that changes its color by the viewing angle.

The number '100' indicating the denomination in the center was also changed from a generic design to an OVI(Optical Variable Ink) type which changes its color by the viewing angle(from copper to green).

The serial number at the edge on the right of the bill reacts to fluorescence. The small number '100' at the lower part on the left appears in perfect form only under light.

Other than slight design change, the back of the bill is similar to the old one in therms of the security element.

The new bill with the fortified device for preventing forgery and falsification was the effort of the Chinese government to improve confidence in the RMB bills ahead of the globalization, but it was caught up in controversy in March 2016 where counterfeit bills of the new bill were found. Following the issuance of new bills, the counterfeit of old bills were also in circulation and the number of counterfeit bills uncovered is increasing. This matter requires caution for foreign tourists and visitors in China.

The fluorescence security elements for checking a genuine product of wine.

In 2014, the fake wine of over 28 million Euro has been caught in Italia that is the largest wine production country of the world. According to EUIPO, the annual fake wine is estimated to occupy around 2.3% of the sales legally sold in total.

There are a lot of the fake wines that are in genuine bottles, different in the contents and there are many cases that mix and put low quality grape or put various kinds of harmful chemical addictives such as hydrochloric acid, manure and fertilizer etc. to make tannin taste like ripening in oak barrel. As the method of forging wine is getting bolder and bolder and advancing, consumer's attention is needed.

The below photo is the label of wine being circulated in the Korean mart. As a DOCG authentication label of Italia which is an abbereviation of Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita, the fluorescence security elements that can check the genuine wine is displayed, when lighting UV rays.

As the fake wine is in full swing, each wine brand is utilizing various methods such as bar code check, hologram packing (mark), microchip label, fine lettering etc. When purchasing wine, you can prevent the damage caused by the fake wine only when checking the bottle and label and purchasing at the safe and reliable sales places without fail.

Fluorescent security elements verifying the authenticity of cigarette

The profit margin of smuggled cigarette is high as the rate of tax imposed is quite high in comparison with the cost of sales. The cigarette smuggling has occupied a position as the world largest smuggling merchandise beyond and over the peddler business, which appears as the biggest profit making business for those organized gangsters, military rebels & warlords or terrorists. In the past, the smugglers dodged the tax smuggled the genuine cigarettes, but now they manufacture the fake cigarettes and illegally sell. As the smugglers are using the elaborate forging even including the holograms, the major cigarette manufacturers have been struggling to win the wars against these fake cigarette products by frequently changing the packaging.


The fake cigarettes have been produced primarily in the Kaliningrad, and outskirt region of Russia, and East Europe countries, while the largest producing area is known as the China. The fake cigarettes produced in the Guandong Province and like places are disguised as other products and exported to whole world. Comparing the cigarette smuggling with that of narcotics,  the penalties are relatively trifling, and that is the reason why the fake cigarette smuggling are not subsiding.

In 2013, the 360 thousand packets(Appx. 2.2 million Euros) of fake cigarettes hidden inside one of Chinese cargoes at the Valencia Port, Spain were uncovered and disposed. In Korea as well, at one point the selling of fake premium products and 50 thousand packets of fake cigarettes made in China primarily around the entertainment business places were once exposed.

The labels attached for a purpose of preventing forging and falsifying are shown on the photographs taken for the Dunhill cigarette products. Flashing the UV ray using the UV LED Detector MP12t of M-VISION shows the letters of '中国烟草(Chinese cigarette)' standing for the China National Tobacco Corporation in a silver square at the bottom part of label, applying the fluorescent security element to verifying the authenticity of cigarette.

[Pictures of cigarette 'Dunhill']

[The authentic label]

[The authentic label under UV ray]

[Comparison of natural light with UV ray]

The genuine cigarettes are different from the fake cigarettes in terms of packet color, printing condition, content & etc. as well as the colors and flavors of cigarettes. The fake cigarettes hold more trunks than cigarette leaves, containing several more times of tar and nicotine contents, and the heavy metals such as cadmium, insecticides, rat poisons and even the human feces. Further, the functions of fake cigarette filters are so poor inflicting lots of damage to human bodies. It is necessary to pay extra attention not to hurt our health because of fake cigarettes.

Fluorescent security measures for authentic liquor products

In June 2015, there was an incident in Mumbai, India, in which more than 90 people died after drinking illegally-manufactured liquor without getting approval from the relevant authorities.

Currently, bootleg liquor is being sold every where across India for less than a dollar. Since the tax imposed on the liquor is sometimes as high as whopping five times to the factory price depending on which state, less-advantaged and poor people often lose their lives while drinking cheap low-quality bootleg liquor whose alcohol degree is artificially raised to some 90 proof. Annually, some dozens to hundreds of people get killed after drinking extremely strong bootleg liquor in India.

Liquor companies apply varied anti-counterfeit measures that discern authentic liquor to bootleg. Below are the examples of the fluorescent security measures for liquor sold in the Indian market. They are security seals for wine bottle and beer can purchased near Agra, India.

The security seals attached on the wind bottle lid and beer can are hologram stickers that are torn when removed. Hard-to-copy holograms are applied on those non-reusable security stickers and then fluorescent security measures were taken, making the security measure almost invincible.

When shone with UV light, numbers emerge. They are dates of manufacture and lot number for the product. You can forge hologram security seal but it is difficult to counterfeit the fluorescent security measures. So make sure to check those security measures with UV light in case of encountering liquor suspected of being bootleg.

You can contact us : uvleddetector@mv21.co.kr

How to detect forged credit cards and debit cards

There has been a rapid increase in forged credit cards in Korea. This is because there has been a proliferation of credit card copying machine sold on the internet enabling anyone to easily make copies of cards. Although credit card information can be stolen when making purchases abroad, credit card information can be also be stolen by crooks pretending to be part time workers at convenience stores and gas stations. Credit card duplication devices have also been installed at ATMs, leaving many victims helpless.

Fluorescent security features are hidden inside credit cards and debit cards to prevent forgery. Although the exact details depend on the particular type of card, typically there is at least one fluorescent security feature on either the front or the back of the card. It is recommended that stores verify cards if there is any suspicion that a card has been duplicated when high priced items are being sold.

The card pictured below is a visa debit card. Under ultra violet light, the letter V in in visa turns fluorescent blue. In addition, if the IC chip portion of the card is put under ultraviolet, it turns fluorescent pink.

Specific sections of the card may also emit fluorescent light when placed under ultraviolet light. Although usually nothing in visible under natural lighting conditions, two out of three cards turn fluorescent yellow or fluorescent orange when when placed under ultraviolet light.

[Natural light]

[Under UV light]

Depending on the card, fluorescent security feature may be embedded in the signature line on the back of the card.

Although newer IC integrated chip cards are known to be safer than magnetic strip cards, it is also true that IC chip cards are currently being duplicated. In the year 2014, 23 billion Korean won was charged to cards that had been stolen or duplicated by third parties. Please ensure that you sign the back of your card. Card users and stores that accept cards must be alert to guard against card fraud.


You can contact us : uvleddetector@mv21.co.kr

How to detect counterfeit Rupee money by using MP12t

India has been witnessing a soaring increase of counterfeit money due to widespread use of high-performing computers, printers and zerox machines. The nation is struggling with counterfeit rupees flowing in from Nepal and Pakistan. In particular, large bills are frequently counterfeited. Among those worth 566 million rupees confiscated in 2013, around 24,116 bills were 500 rupee bills and 65,025 bills were 1,000 rupee bills.

We will now check fluorescent security measures on 500 rupee bills and 1,000 rupee bills via using UV LED Detector MP12t.

1. 500 Rupee

1) Front : You can see the fluorescent security fibers at the left end and the serial number at the bottom left turns fluorescent red. And also at the center, the pattern at the center surrounding the letter 500 representing the type of bill and the part of Ghandi's portrait turn to fluorescent green and the letters RBI(Reserve Bank of INDIA) and “भारती” repeated on the partially-exposed silver band also turn to fluorescent green. The serial number of the bill on the top right is also turns fluorescent red.

2) Back : The whole side is sensitive to UV light, the fluorescent green band emerges where the partially-exposed line is located. And a part of the design 'Salt Satyagraha' at the back turns to fluorescent green.


2. 1,000 Rupee

1) Front : The serial number at the bottom left turns fluorescent red, and the overall front design responds to UV light. The design of 1,000 rupee bill is in red tone but, when lit with UV light, turns to fluorescent yellow or green. Just like 500 rupee bill, the letters RBI(Reserve Bank of INDIA) and “भारती” repeated on the partially-exposed silver band also turn to fluorescent green. The serial number of the bill on the top right is also turns fluorescent blue.

2) Back : The whole overall side is fluorescent and the fluorescent green band emerges where the partially-exposed line is located. Unlike the 500 rupee bill, other parts of the back side does not emerge as fluorescent.


No damaged or frayed bills are accepted in India as they are considered counterfeited. However, they keep their bills in bunch by stapler so there could be small holes in the middle of the bills. There are also some cases where you can get counterfeited money from ATMs and are not refunded or compensated by the bank for that. So travelers to India must be aware of such risk.


You can contact us : uvleddetector@mv21.co.kr