If you have a 500 rupee note, then check it carefully once, is it fake or not? RBI’s latest report has made a shocking revelation. The number of fake 500 rupee notes found in the banking system in the financial year 2025 has been the highest in the last 6 years. Compared to last year, these fake notes increased by 37.35 percent to 1,17,722 in 2024-25, which was 85,711 in 2023-24.
At the same time, there has been an increase in the number of counterfeit notes with a value of less than Rs 200. It has increased by 13.9 percent to 32,600 compared to the same period last year.
How to identify real and fake 500 rupee notes
Since the introduction of new 500 rupee notes, cases of fake notes have increased. These notes are made so cleanly that sometimes it becomes difficult for a common man to differentiate between real and fake. But there is no need to worry. By adopting some simple methods, you too can identify real and fake notes.
1. RBI’s MANI app
RBI has created a special app for mobile users called MANI (Mobile Aided Note Identifier).
This app is available for free on both Android and iOS. Just open this fake note detector app on your phone. Turn on the phone’s camera and scan a 500 rupee note. This app will immediately tell whether the note is real or fake. The special thing is that this app also works offline, and can also identify slightly torn or old notes.
2. Check the security feature of the note yourself
There are some special identification marks that every genuine note has. Such as:
- There is a shiny line in the middle of the note on which ‘Bharat’ and ‘RBI’ are written. Its colour changes when the note is slightly folded.
- Gandhiji’s photo has a watermark, which is visible in the light.
- ‘RBI’, ‘Bharat’ and ‘500’ are written in very small letters on Gandhiji’s glasses and some parts. You can recognize them by looking closely with the camera zoom or with your eyes.
3. Do UV test from your phone itself
- If you want, you can use your smartphone as a UV light:
- Place a blue or purple transparent plastic piece over the phone’s flash.
- Now turn on the flash and look at the note.
- The thread or serial number present in the genuine note starts glowing in light blue or green light.
This method is not 100% sure, but is quite effective in early identification.
In today’s digital era, it is no longer difficult to avoid fake notes (Fake Note Identification). With just a little understanding and the help of a smartphone, you can easily identify fake 500 rupee notes. So what are you waiting for? Download the MANI app today and check every note yourself.
