RBI reports rise in fake ₹200 and ₹500 currency notes; know 17 features to spot genuine banknotes

"The counterfeit notes detected in the denominations of ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100 and ₹2000 declined during 2024-25, while those in ₹200 and ₹500 denominations increased by 13.9 and 37.3 per cent, respectively, as compared with the previous year," RBI said.

Around 4.7% of the total 2,17,396 fake currency notes in 2024-25 were detected at the RBI, while 95.3% were detected at other banks.

As many as 1,17,722 fake currency notes of ₹500 were detected in 2024-25, compared to 85,711 in 2023-24. Around 32,660 fake ₹200 notes were detected in 2024-25 compared to 28,672 in 2023-24, according to the report.

The total number of detected fake currency notes has, however, declined from 2,25,769 in 2022-23 to 2,22,639 in 2023-24 to 2,17,396 in 2024-25.

How to identify a genuine ₹500 note

Users should look at all the features of a ₹500 note listed on RBI's website.

"The 500 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series bear signature of the Governor, Reserve Bank of India. The note has motif of "Red Fort" on the reverse, depicting the country's cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is stone grey. The note has other designs and geometric patterns aligning with the overall colour scheme, both at obverse and reverse," RBI says.

The size of a ₹500 note in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) series is 66 mm x 150 mm.

There are 17 features on a ₹500 note, including both the obverse and reverse sides.

1. See through register with denominational numeral 500

2. Latent image with denominational numeral 500

3. Denominational numeral ५०० in Devnagari

4. Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the centre

5 Micro letters 'भारत' and 'India

6. Colour shift windowed security thread with inscriptions 'भारत', and 'RBI'. Colour of the thread changes from green to blue when the note is tilted.

7. Guarantee clause, Governor's signature with Promise Clause and RBI emblem towards right of Mahatma Gandhi's portrait.

8. Mahatma Gandhi's Portrait and electrotype (500) watermarks

9. Number panel with numerals in ascending font on the top left side and bottom right side

10. Denominational numeral with Rupee Symbol in (₹500) in colour changing ink (green to blue) on bottom right

11. Ashoka pillar emblem on the right

12. Some features for visually impaired: Intaglio or raised printing of Mahatma Gandhi portrait, Ashoka pillar emblem, circular identification mark with microtext ₹500 on the right, five angular bleed lines on both the left and right sides.

13. Year of printing of the note on the left

14. Swachh Bharat logo with slogan

15. Language panel

16. Motif of Red Fort

17. Denominational numeral ५०० in Devnagari

How to identify a genuine ₹200 note

Just like ₹500, you should look at all the features of a ₹200 note listed on the RBI's website.

"The new ₹200 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series bear signature of the Governor, Reserve Bank of India. The note has motif of 'Sanchi Stupa' on the reverse, depicting the country's cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is bright yellow. The note has other designs, geometric patterns aligning with the overall colour scheme, both at the obverse and reverse.

The size of a ₹200 note in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) series is 66mm x 146mm, which is slightly different from a ₹500 note.

There are 17 features on a ₹200 note, including both the obverse and reverse sides.

1. See through register with denominational numeral 200

2. Latent image with denominational numeral 200

3. Denominational numeral २०० in Devnagari

4. Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the centre

5 Micro letters 'भारत' and 'India

6. Colour shift windowed security thread with inscriptions 'भारत', and 'RBI'. Colour of the thread changes from green to blue when the note is tilted.

7. Guarantee clause, Governor's signature with Promise Clause and RBI emblem towards right of Mahatma Gandhi's portrait.

8. Mahatma Gandhi's Portrait and electrotype (200) watermarks

9. Number panel with numerals in ascending font on the top left side and bottom right side

10. Denominational numeral with Rupee Symbol in (₹200) in colour changing ink (green to blue) on bottom right

11. Ashoka pillar emblem on the right

12. Some features for visually impaired: Intaglio or raised printing of Mahatma Gandhi portrait, Ashoka pillar emblem, circular identification mark H with microtext ₹200 on the right, five angular bleed lines with two circular in between the lines both on the left and right sides.

13. Year of printing of the note on the left

14. Swachh Bharat logo with slogan

15. Language panel

16. Motif of Sanchi Stupa

17. Denominational numeral २०० in Devnagari