As a Windows user we all get tired of Windows Genuine Advantage validations. Turns out the investment Microsoft made in that may have shut down a counterfeit ring that has distributed more than 2 billion dollars of counterfeited software.

The FBI and Chinese authorities have a bunch of people under arrest. Based on what we have seen overseas I am betting this is just the tip of the iceberg.

How to Spot Counterfeiting

Due to continuing improvements by U.S. mints, it's pretty tough to make counterfeit bills credible. However, there are still counterfeiters out there. It's not as hard to make paper money that will at least pass to a cashier's till, and new technology is used on the black market to create counterfeit bills. It takes a skilled eye to spot some counterfeit money, as well as attention to detail and a few moments to scan different parts of the bill.