Answer:
Having devoted half a life-time to teller training, I could give you a lot of suggestions! But the easiest answer addresses counterfeit currency. When we talked to the Secret Service about all the tools on the market to detectcounterfeit currency, we mentioned the pens that change color (not good if the currency has been laundered with a bleach product while in someone's jeans pocket going thru the wash!): black lights (cumbersome); all the new security features (simplest of which is the watermark - it's the only part of the bill that has not yet been efficiently counterfeited. Just hold the bill up to the light) The Secret Service came back to us with this answer - even after all the changes. The most efficient way to discover a piece of counterfeit currency is to FEEL it! A teller handles so much currency in a day's time that the different feel of the paper stops that teller dead in their tracks. Counterfeits get by them when they ignore the feel.
As for training tellers on detecting forgeries - first thing I'd suggest is reviewing the Bankers Video Library tape andlesson plan called CHECK FRAUD FUNDAMENTALS. We tried to include in that video many of the ways to detect fraudulent checks, and what isn't in the film is in the accompanying lesson material. There are also other check fraud videos and books available to help in this training. And there are some very helpful training aids right here on the BOL web site that Mary Beth Guard has done, and articles from the BANKERS' HOTLINE that can help.
First published on BankersOnline.com 10/1/01
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