RBI has created a special mobile app to identify fake notes, named MANI (Mobile Aided Note Identifier). This app is available on both Android and iPhone and is very easy to use.

These days fake notes are spreading very fast in the market, especially fake 500 rupee notes. The specialty of these notes is that they are made so cleanly that it has become difficult for the common man to differentiate between real and fake. This is the reason why the government has issued an alert to agencies like CBI, SEBI, and NIA.

It was told in this alert that many such fake 500 rupee notes are circulating in the market which are very difficult to catch. But there is no need to panic. If you have a smartphone, then you can find out the truth of the 500 rupee note yourself, and that too sitting at home, without the help of any expert. Let us tell you how you can find out the authenticity of a note from your phone.

1. RBI's 'MANI' app is the easiest way

RBI has created a special mobile app to identify such fake notes, named MANI (Mobile Aided Note Identifier). This app is available on both Android and iPhone and is very easy to use.

You just have to download the app, turn on the phone's camera and bring the 500 rupee note in front of the camera. The app will automatically scan the note and tell whether it is real or not. The best thing is that there is no need of internet to run this app and it can also identify torn or dirty notes.

2. Check security features from the camera

Every real note has some special identification. Such as security thread, watermark, and color shifting ink. You can identify these features from your phone's camera. For example, the 500 rupee note has a shiny line in the middle on which ‘Bharat’ and ‘RBI’ are written. When you tilt the note slightly, this line changes colour. Apart from this, there is a watermark near Gandhiji’s picture, which is clearly visible in light.

3. Do UV test with phone’s torch

If your phone’s flash light is strong, then you can also do a small UV test. For this, take a piece of transparent blue or purple plastic and put it over the flash. Now put this ‘jugaadu UV light’ on the note and see. The numbers and threads on the real note shine in light blue or green light. However, this method is not as accurate as the real UV light, so if you want, you can also buy cheap UV lights online.

4. Zoom in and see micro-lettering

Some words are printed in very fine letters on Indian notes, which are called micro-lettering. Often these are not made properly in fake notes. Bring your mobile camera in zoom mode and carefully look at the parts of the note, such as near Gandhiji's glasses or around the numbers. Here words like 'RBI', 'Bharat' and '500' are printed in small letters. If these are clearly visible, then the note is genuine.

In today's era, with the help of technology, you can identify fake notes yourself. You just have to pay a little attention and use the smartphone properly. Next time when you get a 500 note in your hand, then definitely check it with these easy methods.