Fact Check: Are Rs 500 Note Star Fake?

A viral claim circulating on social media about 500 rupee notes with a 'star' (an asterisk) in their serial number being fake has been refuted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). These notes are indeed legal tender issued by the RBI back in 2006.

The inclusion of the asterisk (*) or star symbol in the STAR series of notes signifies that these notes are used as replacements for defectively printed banknotes.

To verify the authenticity of the claim, a relevant keyword search on Google led to a report by The Hindu, confirming the RBI's clarification on the matter. According to the report, the RBI stated that currency notes with the star (*) symbol are entirely legitimate and equivalent to any other legal banknote.

Furthermore, the RBI's official website published a statement on July 27, 2023, addressing the viral claims and reiterating that any banknote featuring the star (*) symbol is considered valid legal tender.

In their statement, the RBI explained, "The Star (*) symbol is inserted in the number panel of a banknote that is used as a replacement for defectively printed banknotes in a packet of 100 pieces of serially numbered banknotes."

The RBI also shared this clarification in a tweet to further debunk the circulating misinformation. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that 500 rupee notes with the 'star' symbol are fake, as they are genuine and officially recognized by the Reserve Bank of India.