How to spot counterfeit dollars and pesos in Argentina

Перевірено: 6 жовтня 2026 р.

A genuine banknote is checked with three movements: look at it against the light (watermark and security thread), tilt it (the color-shifting ink element changes color) and feel it (raised printing, the "roughness"). This is how both US dollars and pesos are checked. If you were given a counterfeit bill, it cannot be exchanged: a bank or licensed exchange house is required to retain it and send it to the BCRA for examination.

2Ви отримаєте1 540 000 ARS1 000 USD

3Найкращий обмінник для цієї сумиНайкращий курс UNION EXCHANGE1 USD = 1 540 ARS · перевірено 1 хв тому

💱 Обміняти в UNION EXCHANGE

Where are counterfeits most often found?

In informal street exchange ("arbolitos" on Florida, "cuevas"), in private meetings with strangers, in taxis and in markets when change is given in large bills. Licensed casas de cambio check bills in front of you (register: bcra.gob.ar/casas-de-cambio). This is information, not a guarantee: check the bills yourself in any case.

How to check US dollars

these are the features of the new-design $100 bill (with the blue 3D ribbon), according to the US Treasury (uscurrency.gov).

Tilt — Blue 3D ribbon: bells change into the number "100" as you tilt the bill; the copper inkwell with a bell changes from copper to green; the "100" in the lower right corner changes color.
Against the light — Watermark of Franklin's portrait; a vertical security thread to the left of the portrait reading "USA 100".
Feel — Raised printing on Franklin's shoulder: the bill feels rough to the touch.
Magnifier — Microprinting on the collar and along the edges.
Ultraviolet — The security thread glows pink. For $50 and $20 bills the principle is the same: watermark, security thread, color-shifting number and raised print (uscurrency.gov has a description for each denomination).

How to check pesos

according to the BCRA's description of peso notes (using the new $10,000 and $20,000 notes as an example):

Watermark — visible against the light in the pale area, it repeats the portrait on the note and the initials.
Security thread — on the front it shows in three "windows" (red on the $10,000, blue on the $20,000) and "plays" as you tilt the note; against the light it is a solid strip with the text "BCRA".
Color-shifting ink — a separate symbol changes color when tilted (on the $20,000, from purple to green; on the $10,000, from gold to green).
Latent image — the letters "RA" show in the ornament when you look at the note at a sharp angle to the light.
Front-back registration — against the light, the parts of the design combine to form the denomination.
Raised (intaglio) printing — felt with your fingers on the portrait, the text and the numbers.
Security fibers — invisible to the naked eye, they glow under ultraviolet light. The BCRA publishes the description of each note in its press releases on issuance and in letters to banks (see "Sources"). Paper that is too smooth or "slippery" is a reason to be wary: genuine pesos are printed on cotton paper.

What to do if a bill looks doubtful

Don't accept it: politely ask for another one.
Compare it with a bill you are sure about: the difference in the paper and the color-shifting ink is obvious right away.

What if I already have a counterfeit banknote?

Under BCRA rules (Circular CIRMO 3, section 4), banks, casas de cambio and agencias de cambio must retain any pesos and US dollars presented to them that are presumed counterfeit. The bill is not returned to you: a retention report is drawn up with the description of the bill and your details, and you are given a receipt. The bank sends the bill to the BCRA for examination; if it turns out to be genuine, the BCRA sends you a letter with the result and you can collect the money at the same bank (dollars are returned with the same bill). If it is counterfeit, the money is not returned. Paying with a bill you already know to be counterfeit is a crime, even if you received it in good faith (Código Penal, art. 284; art. 285 treats foreign currency the same as pesos). If you were cheated in an exchange, you can file a report (denuncia) at any Policía de la Ciudad station, regardless of where it happened, or by calling 911. This is information, not legal advice.

How to reduce the risk of counterfeit banknotes

Exchange at a licensed exchange house or with people you know, and count the money on the spot.
Don't exchange with people who approach you on their own.
For a private exchange, pick a busy place or the exchange house's office. Exchange houses with an office or a courier are in the "Currency exchange" section; ArgHub does not carry out exchanges and does not check bills on behalf of either party.
For the condition of bills that are accepted less readily, see the article "Which US dollar bills to bring to Argentina and why "cara chica" get a worse rate".

Часті питання

How can I quickly check a $100 bill?

Against the light (Franklin watermark and thread), by tilting it (the ribbon and the "100" change) and by touch (raised print on the shoulder).

How do I check a peso note?

Watermark, a thread reading "BCRA" in three windows, a symbol that changes color, and raised print.

What should I do with a counterfeit bill?

Take it to a bank: it will be retained with a report and sent to the BCRA for examination; a counterfeit will not be exchanged.

Where is the risk highest?

In street exchange and in meetings with strangers.

What will an exchange house do with a suspicious bill?

A licensed exchange house must retain a bill that looks counterfeit, with a report, and send it to the BCRA for examination; it may simply refuse a damaged bill.