evidence: A recent social media post caused great confusion by warning that Indian 500-rupee banknotes with the vertical green security stripe near the picture of Mahatma Gandhi (and not near the RBI Governor’s signature) are counterfeit. This claim was put to rest when the Press Information Bureau (PIB) published a Fact Check stating that the counterfeit claim was completely false. The PIB Fact Check also explained that, according to the Reserve Bank of India, both types of Rs 500 banknotes (that is, with the vertical security stripe in either location) are valid. [...] - To the right side of Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait, a green security thread appears. It features repeated microtext (‘RBI’) in Hindu and Latin. On the face of the note, the security strip is metallic and windowed. It also changes colour (from green to blue).